The Something Under The Bed
by Dr Megalomania
Summary: A cutsy little story, so very fluffy and adorable that you'll really believe that some dreams can come true. I think I'm gonna barf. I can't believe I wrote this fluuuuuffffff!
1. Once Upon A Winter

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

_~Once Upon A Winter . . . ~_

He smiled as he watched his young son play in the snow with his mother. He stepped out and walked towards them, his dark brown hair fluttering into his deep blue eyes, and the small snow flakes sticking to the unruly mop of curls. His son suddenly sat up and ran over to him, dragging him closer to look at the shape he had made in the snow.

"It's an angel, Papa!" The five-year-old boy giggled, his love of angels made him repeat this snow angel thing every year.

Papa smiled, "It's very pretty, son . . . now come on . . . It's getting late . . ."

Bright blue eyes watered, "One more Papa! Please!!"

Papa sighed, "Okay, one more . . . then . . ." He shook a remonstrating finger, "Then Clow Reed . . . bed." 

_~Later that night . . . ~_

_Clow smiled as he swung back and forth, he looked beside him, a tall girl swinging back and forward with him, "Hello Clow . . . do you like angels?"_

_He nodded shyly, thinking the girl was almost as pretty as his Mamma. She smiled and tipped back her head, her small pink hat not falling off. She pushed her legs out as far as they could go, the small pink boots glinting dully as her uniform's pink tails trailed out from behind her. She smiled, and looked at him._

_"Shall I tell you how to make one?"_

_His swinging slowed, as he stared at her in shock._

_She smiled at him, "It's really easy, Clow . . . just say what I do . . ." She winked at him, "Like a game, okay?"_

_Clow smiled and nodded, aware on some level that this was all a dream . . ._

_~Really Early In The Morning . . .~_

//I am *not* scared . . .// 

Clow Reed closed his eyes shut tight; he clenched his hands into tiny, tight balls and bit his lip. //I am not scared at all, I am a big boy and I am not scared of anything . . .// Taking a deep breath, Clow hung on tightly to the edge of his bed and swung himself upside down to see what ever it was under his bed.

His deep blue eyes widen as they met with glowing purple eyes.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Clow's mouth stretched really wide as he proceeded to scream his head off. The glowing purple eyes widened and the what-ever-it-was-under-his-bed scrambled back in fear. The door opened as Clow's mother and father ran in. "Clow? Clow!" Papa said worriedly, "What's wrong, son?"

Mamma picked up her little five-year-old boy as he wailed, "There'ssomethingundermybedandIsawitandit'sundermybeeeeeeeedd!!!"

Mamma and Papa looked at each other, as Papa lifted his key from his necklace. His magic staff quickly appeared, and he crouched down on the floor. Papa moved the large wooden staff under Clow's bed, touching nothing. "Clow . . . there's nothing there . . ." Papa sighed and sat beside Mamma. "It was a nightmare son . . ."

Mamma smiled, "Clow-chan . . . Don't scare us like that . . . now . . . It's late . . ." She pushed him back into his bed, "Try to sleep a little . . ."

As Mamma and Papa wished him good night and stepped out, Clow stared at his ceiling. "Whatever you are . . ." He said with determination, "I must warn you, I'm a very powerful magician . . . and I . . . I can . . ." Clow closed his eyes as he felt a movement under his bed, "I can make you disappear!"

There was a quiet whimper from his side. Clow opened his eyes to see a small pale face stare back at him. The what-ever-it-was-under-his-bed wasn't under his bed any more. Clow bit his lip, and got up. The thingy tilted it's head and looked at him. Clow reached out with his finger and touched the being in the middle of it's forehead. The creature's catlike eyes crossed as it tried to look at Clow's finger. 

"You're real!" Clow observed quietly as he pressed against the pale forehead. He started to push the thingy back, and it frowned and started to push forward. Clow frowned and pushed harder. The thingy started to whine slightly and there was a glow of blue. Clow's mouth fell open as the thingy fluttered fluffy white wings. It waved them in an attempt to stop him pushing it over. 

Clow giggled, "You're an angel!"

The thingy's eyes opened wide, it blinked and moved away slightly. It looked at him, before climbing on his bed. Clow shuffled away from it as it stared at it's finger. It blinked and looked at him. Clow's eyes crossed as he tried to look at the small pale finger pressing against his forehead. Clow giggled again, "Stop it!"

The pressure stopped immediately, and the thingy cowered away. Clow smiled at it and patted it on the head . . . only to be patted on the head a few moments later. Clow smiled, "What's your name?"

The thingy tilted it's head.

Clow bit his lip and giggled as the thingy did it a few seconds later. "My name's Clow Reed . . ." He patted his chest, "Clow!"

The thingy blinked, and made a sound like a sneeze. "Klo!"

"No," Clow smiled, "Kl---ooooooooooh!"

The thingy made the noise again, "Klo!"

He sighed, and picked up it's hand, he jabbed it gently into his chest, "Clow. . ." He moved the hand back to the thingy's chest and prodded it gently. The thingy smiled, "klo!"

Clow sighed and shook his head, "My name is Clow Reed. . ." He smiled brightly, "And you are called?"

"Klo!"

The little black haired boy giggled as the thingy repeated the strange variation on his name again and again.

_~The next morning . . .~_

Papa stared blankly at the . . . the . . . angel like child his son pulled into the breakfast room. The angel like child whimpered and cowered behind his son. "Clow . . . where did you . . .?"

"I dunno!" Clow chirped as he dragged the angel-child to the breakfast table, "This is my Mamma!" Mamma blinked as the strange little angel-child bowed quickly, Clow dragged it back towards his father, "And this is my Papa!"

"Please to meet you . . . uh . . ." Papa blinked, "um . . . I don't know what to call you . . ."

"Klo!"

Clow giggled, "That's all it can say . . . but I'm gonna teach it to talk . . . aren't I, angel?" Clow climbed on to the bench and helped the angel climb on after him, "Now this is breakfast, it's very important but not as nice as lunch, dinner's the best, but you have to wait a really long time for. . ."

Clow's parents exchanged a worried look as the Clow chatted animatedly to the strange angel child.

Clow yawned as his mother helped him out of the bath. Mamma smiled gently as she wrapped her son up in warm towels, "All that running around has made you tired now . . . you won't be able to play . . ." Mamma kissed him gently, "This is why you must never run away when I tell you to have a bath . . ."

Clow whined pathetically, "I can . . ." he yawned widely, and continued sleepily, ". . . too play . . ."

Mamma shook her head quietly, and turned her attention on to the small angel child. "C'mere Yue . . ." 

The angel's wide purple eyes blinked, he looked shocked still . . . she smiled, // And he looked like a drowned kitten . . .// Yue watched in worry as Clow ran around the house refusing to be bathed, and was even more worried when Clow had stubbornly refused to be bathed without his angel. The cute fluffy winged angel had actually screamed when Clow grabbed his long hair and pulled him in, the naughty child! The poor angel had whimpered as Mamma removed the strange wet robes, Mamma smiled, "Don't worry, Yue . . . I'll dry them and then you can have them back . . ."

Yue was so called because one night Clow had woken up and found the angel staring up at the moon, "That's called Yue . . ." The angel blinked and looked at him, Clow smiled, "Yu-eh . . . it means moon . . ."

"Yue . . ." the angel breathed, he tapped his chest gently, "Yue . . ."

"No, silly . . ." Clow pointed out the window, "That's Yue . . . you're . . ." The angel looked at him balefully, Clow sighed and smiled, "I guess we could call you Yue . . ."

The angel smiled excitedly and leant forward, pushing his pale lips against Clow's. Clow blinked at this unexpected touch, and shivered slightly as he felt the enormous power of this creature. As the angel stared at him quietly as he pulled back, Clow smiled, "Yue it is then . . ."

Clow's Mamma smiled as she quickly washed the small angel's long white hair, it was all the way to his feet, and was always neatly tied back in a long ponytail. The angel was always incredibly neat, while Clow, naughty as he was, often refused to even get dressed for his training. Yue smiled slightly as she ran the warm water through his feathers, she was so gentle as she spread each wing, and slowly washed the soapy water out of his respected feathers. 

The elders of her and her husband's family had been amazed when they had seen him; the realisation had been quick in coming. Clow had somehow created this angel, how was unknown, why wasn't clear, and would he create another just as easily . . . was a question everyone pondered deeply. Clow was a very powerful child; this was evident and well known. Thankfully Clow was also an incredibly calm child, or else his tantrums were something to be greatly fear. 

Mamma smiled as she heard Clow let his teeth chatter, "Clow-chan get to your room if you are cold . . . Yue needs a little more attention . . ." 

There was a loud splash as Clow climbed back into the bath, Yue screeched again in surprise. Mamma cooed softly to sooth him, and reproached her son quietly, "Clow Reed . . . Yue is still a little jumpy, do not scare him like that . . ."

Clow blinked and sloshed all the way closer to his angel, the angel's wings were trembling with his fear. "Yue . . . Why are you so jumpy . . .?"

Yue peered over his shoulder mutely, as Mamma tapped Clow on the head, "Because you are so loud . . . Yue, yin that he is . . . must make up for your yang."

"Oh . . ." Clow frowned, he winced, as his young mind understood what she meant, "Gomen nasai Yue-san . . ."

Yue blinked, his small angel features still framed by his wet hair, he picked up his hand and patted Clow on head, "Klo."

The young boy smiled as he leant forward, he curled his tiny hand around a tiny cheek, "You must never be scared of me Yue . . . because I'll never hurt you . . ."

- - - - - - - - 

And Now It's Time For LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!

DrM: Urgh . . .  [Shudders] So. . .  cute . . . so  . . . fluffy . . . so . . . ewwwwwwwwwwww!!

Clow: I thought you promised never to write anything so disgustingly cute ever!!

DrM: trust me. . . I don't understand it either, but . . . [Shrugs] Whatever the Story demands will be written . . . 

Yue: Please R&R. . . and fear . . . there's another part coming after this . . . [shudders] be strong DrM . . . 

DrM: Must work on In This Tainted Soul . . . There Lies Hope . . . must . . . write . . . GORE, HORROR, AND MOSTLY EVIL ANGST!!!


	2. Once Upon A Summer

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Shorts! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!! 

And a Special Hello to Nakuru, and StarMoonNight and Dark Ice Angel– There Lies Hope is much dark than TaintedSoul, Mwha ha ha! - and MoltenAmber –I do like cute, just not when I'm trying to kill people in angsty evil -, and Summer Rain –hope this brings you over to the ExS side! - and chiookamigirl, and Midnight Phantom, and lil star – I'm sorry, the sequel WILL be up soon! – and Atom Bunny – don't worry about it, because I rarely sign in either – and The PenMaster – [sniffles] I'll. . . be brave!! – and smallady86 – Sappy and sicking. . . how true. . . how very true!! – And bishouenen lovah – Mmmm. . . [drools] Grown Up Yue, and finally, thank you to Sapphire for being this fic's first Reviewer . . . you'd win a prize . . . but I am poor. 

Wow, never done that before. . . ahem. . . now. . . On With the High Sugar Story!!__

_~Once Upon A Summer . . .~_

_~Three years later . . .~_

Clow turned a page of his book, and smiled as he heard his angel do the same. "You're supposed to be reading . . ."

"Supposed to be reading . . ." came the reply, matter-of-factly.

He shook his head, "yes, reading."

"Yes, reading." The Angel nodded his head, in his matter-of-factly way.

Clow sighed, even after three years the strange angel still repeated every word he said. At least it was coherent and sounded right. "Angel?"

The angel smiled, and blinked, "Angel?" he tapped his chest lightly, the deep blue stone glinting in the summer sun. "Yue!" He leant over and kissed Clow lightly on the cheek, "Klo!"

Clow threw back his head and laughed, the angel watched him fondly. He didn't know what this sound was when Clow did it, but it sounded nice and appeased the angel. Clow snorted, "My name is Clow."

The angel smiled, "Klo!"

"Kl---oooooooohhh!"

"Klo!"

Clow blinked, the angel had just winked at him, "Are you teasing me?"

"Teasing me?" The angel leant towards him quickly and smiled.

Clow leaned closer to the echoing angel, "Angel, you're teasing me!"

"Teasing you!" The angel smiled, and pointed at him, "Teasing you!"

Clow smiled warmly; ever so often the angel would work it out right. "Catch me . . ." Clow stood and smiled at his angel challengingly, he ran off quickly, "Catch me!"

He smiled happily as he heard the angel spread fluffy white wings, and gave chase, "Catch you! Catch you!"

Clow's shoulder length hair fell out of it's tie as he ran away. It flapped behind him, the wind keeping it out of his eyes. The green grass under his bare feet was springy and warm, the summer bringing out the best in Mamma's well kept, and deeply loved, garden. A shadow flew over him; Clow looked up to see Yue flying above and was momentarily blinded by the sun glare. Clow tripped, rolled and came up screaming in pain.

Yue landed quickly and ran to the small black haired boy, "Klo! Klo!" He wrapped his arms around him, clutching him tight like he had seen Mamma do so very often, "Clow . . . Clow . . ." Yue cooed quietly, Clow's sobs fading to a whimper, "Shhhh . . . Clow . . ."

Clow sniffed quietly, and grabbed his ankle; he pulled the wounded foot closer. Yue frowned as Clow stared at the large rose thorn in utter desolation. "You know what this means Yue . . ." 

Yue blinked and tilted his head in that 'What?' manner of his.

Deep blue eyes closed; as Clow drew one deep breathe . . .

"MAMMMMMAAAAAAAA!!"

"OWW!!" A muffled scream from the kitchen made Yue jump to his feet, "MAMMA!! IF YOU LOVED ME . . . OWWWW!! MAMMA!!"

Yue paced to the door restlessly, Clow's father tipped his head up from the spell book he was writing, "Steady Yue . . ." he smiled gently from behind his small wired spectacles, "Clow's just being stubborn . . ."

Yue nodded and sank to the floor again.

"MAMMA!! YOU WOULDN'T DO THAT TO ME IF YOU REALLY LOVED ME!!" Clow cried out reproachfully, "MAMMA!! STOP IT! MAM-*MA*!!"

Yue tensed as Clow emphasised the last syllable of Mamma, it always meant the stubborn little boy was getting very angry.

"MAM-*MA*! STOP IT!! STOP IT THIS---" Yue winced as a china vase exploded on the shelf. "–MOMENT!!" 

Three more vases and a glass frame exploded before Papa stood up and took out his staff. The elder Reed tapped each little pile of debris and muttered a small spell. The vases and frame quickly reconstructed themselves. Papa smiled and nodded and went back to his book.

"MAM-MA!!" Clow yelled angrily, "I WANT YOU TO LEAVE THE THORN IN!"

There was silence as Clow's mother gently tried to explain that the thorn would get infected and would cause his foot to become diseased.

"FINE THEN! I HOPE MY FOOT DROPS OFF AND YOU FEEL REALLY BAD FOR PUTTING ME THROUGH THIS!!"

Yue got to his feet again and peered into the corridor, there was a quiet chuckle as Papa glanced up, "I pity you, Yue . . . you have a very stubborn little creator . . ."

Yue blinked and a small frown started to grow on his pale little face, knitting fine, white eyebrows in thought. Yue's contemplation was interrupted as Clow's Mamma swept in gracefully. She was a tall, graceful woman, her long black hair reaching all the way down her back, held up by a beautiful hairpiece. Her robes were simple and typically Chinese. She smiled down at Yue, her magic was inherently moon orientated, and (as everyone was realising) Yue was attracted to the moon and all magic by it. Mamma had taken to Yue instantly, always made sure his wings and hair was pristine, she appreciated his neatness and always applauded him for it.

Papa, on the other hand, was more sun orientated. He didn't really understand Yue's absolute need for pristine neatness, nor why he couldn't play and roll around the place like a normal child. He always considered Yue to be a little too distant, a little too orderly for Clow . . . but he had to concede that Yue did have a calming influence on Clow---

"MAM-MA!!"

--In some of his quieter moments. Papa shook his head and went back to his book. Mamma smiled gently and pulled Yue up into her arms, "Yue . . . Would you like to play a game of Mah Jongg?" 

Yue blinked, and glanced at the door.

A soft laugh pulled his attention back to Mamma, "Don't worry about him . . . when he decides he wants the thorn out he shall say so . . ." she started to set up the tiles easily. Yue frowned, again his tiny little face creasing ever so slightly in thought, normally he would love a game of chance but . . .

"MAM-MAAAA!!"

. . . Clow needed him . . . Yue stumbled backwards as this thought hit him. Clow was in pain, and he . . . he . . . Yue spun on his heel and started to the kitchen, this inexplicable urge to help Clow taking over his whole sense. He pushed the kitchen door open and strode into the kitchen purposely. 

"You're not Mamma!" A surly voice muttered stubbornly, "I was calling Mamma! " 

Yue frowned and stepped closer to the black haired child. Clow was sat on a chair by the table, his arms folded tightly, one foot dipped into a bowl of vinegar water, pale cream trousers rolled up. Blood spots staining everything as Clow had evidently struggled. His face pulled into a spiteful, angry frown. 

"I was calling Mamma!" He uttered in a deep hissed whisper. 

Yue knelt by the bowl, and peered in, Clow's foot looked slightly swollen, even allowing for the water's distortion. Yue's pale lips pursed before he spoke quietly, "You . . . are hurt . . ." Clow blinked in surprise, anger instantly dissipating; Yue swallowed, and looked up at him, "Please . . . let me help . . ."

Clow frowned sadly, "But it hurts . . ."

Yue rose to his feet, "Make it not hurt."

"I can't . . ."

Yue blinked, "You make me."

Clow smiled helplessly, "But I don't know how . . ." 

The angel stepped closer and repeated in a gentler tone, "You make me."

Clow's shoulders dipped, "I . . . don't know . . . how to . . ." he closed his eyes, "How to make it not hurt . . . I don't even know how I made you . . ." Clow opened his eyes to find Yue smiling. The angel held up his curled fist, and opened it slowly.

The thorn rested in the middle of his palm, with only a little blood tainting the angel's pale fingertips.

Clow's little mouth fell open with surprise, "How did you . . .?"

Yue leant forward and kissed Clow lightly on the cheek, "Not hurt . . . if you not think of it . . ."

Mamma moved another tile into place; she smiled gently, "Eriol . . .?"

Papa looked up from his book, "Yes, my wife?"

Mamma smiled as she fingered the pale bamboo titles gently, their meaning utterly clear, "Clow is destined to fall for that angel . . . and the angel is destined to fall for our son . . ."

Papa smiled weakly as he mocked her lightly, "Is that what your romantic instincts tell you my dear, or perhaps what the Chinese fates have decided for them both?"

"Perhaps the stars have something different to say . . ." her sharp dark eyes flashed slightly, "Chinese fortunes are always more concerned with life . . . the Western Stars are more concerned with themselves . . ."

Papa laughed quietly, "My dear Clow will create something, some set of spirits and when that happens . . . all else will ceased to matter . . . the angel will merely become a servant to this new power . . . there will be nothing to alter this fact, all else will be irrelevant to this." 

His wife shook her head slowly, "Chinese Fortune say . . . hu shuo ba dao!" Papa raised an amused eyebrow, as she continued, "Everything matters . . ." she piled the tiles up carefully and began to deal them carefully again, "Clow has a destiny beyond creating the spirits, and Yue has a destiny beyond serving him . . ." 

Papa nodded, and returned to his book, "Dear . . ." he smiled teasingly, "I only talk nonsense in one way . . . that's English . . ."

Her dark eyes creased with her mirth, "It meant Do Not Talk Such Nonsense In Eight Different Ways." She laughed gently, "And you knew exactly what I meant . . ."

Yue helped Clow into bed that night; his mother had bandaged the sore foot up tightly, and thanked Yue gratefully for having removed the thorn. Clow stared at the ceiling as Mamma sat on the bed, with Yue in her lap. The sound of the horsehair brush moving through Yue's fine hair was all that could be heard. Clow closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on hearing something else, he held his breath, and tried to hear Yue breathing. 

He gave up quickly as he realised while Yue didn't need to breath all the time, he did. His mother chuckled softly, "Clow-chan . . . What are you up to?"

Clow looked at her, the dim light provided by small candle light framing her beautiful face, he smiled, "You are pretty, Mamma . . ." 

"This is the Clow-chan I like to know . . ." Mamma chuckled again; she cocked an eyebrow at him, "Not the one that is bawling at me like a spoilt English brat."

Clow swallowed, "Sorry Mamma." 

Yue kept very still, his gaze locked out the window, it was a new moon and the small angel seemed a little worried. As with every new moon, Mamma took extra long brushing Yue's hair, and cleaning his wings, it always calmed him. Clow smiled as he sat up, "The Moon isn't gone Yue . . ." 

Yue blinked and his eyes moved towards Clow, careful not to move his head for fear of tangles, Clow smiled, and spoke again, "It's just right now the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and all the light from the Sun can't be shone on the Moon which is why we can't see her . . ."

Yue's eyes moved back to the window. "Not gone . . .?"

Clow shook his head, "Not gone." He confirmed, "Sleeping . . ."

Yue blinked, "Sleeping . . .?"

"Waiting to be reborn when the Earth moves out of her way . . ." Clow's mother smiled gently as her son mixed the two theories he had been brought up to believe in. "She needs the time to rebuild her strength and then when she is at her fullest she will shine brightly again."

Yue nodded reverently, as much as he could without causing the dreaded tangles, "full moon . . ."

Clow's mother slowed her brushing, coming to a halt, "There you go . . ." she tied it slowly, and tightly. "You are ready for bed now, Yue."

He climbed off her lap and bowed quickly, she helped him into bed beside Clow. The two always insisted that they sleep together ever since that first night. Clow lay back and wrapped his arms tightly around his angel, "Nu-night Mamma . . ."

She leant over the bed, "Good night Clow."

"Goodnight."

Mamma chuckled quietly, "Goodnight Yue."

Papa smiled from the doorway, "Sweet dreams you two." Clow protested sleepily as Yue sat up, Papa waved his hand, "No, no, Yue it's all right . . . go back to bed."

The angel lay back, and Clow wrapped his arm around the angel tighter, resting his chin on Yue's small shoulder. Yue craned his neck, so he could stare out the window. The moon, a visible absence from the sky . . . 

_She swung out her legs, she was younger now. He liked her dress, it had a nice big red star over her chest, and it was all yellow and white and she had a yellow hat, and she had a red skirt under the cape and stuff. "Would you like something fun to play with?"_

_He sat on the swings, swinging, "Yes please . . ."_

_The girl with the pretty dress swung beside him. She smiled at him, held out her hand and winked, "Okay . . . repeat after me . . ."_

Clow smiled in his sleep and lifted his hand. He wasn't aware of himself as his finger tips stared to glow a deep violet, Yue's eyes opened as he felt magic being preformed. He stared at Clow's hand as it hovered in front of his face, "Clow . . ."

Clow chuckled in his sleep, "Keroberos."

The deep violet glow spread down the rest of the little boy's hand, and out of the corner of his eye, Yue could see strange circular patterns glowing on the floor. The angel whimpered slightly, confusion and the lack of moonlight scaring him. "Clow!" He started to shake the boy from his deep sleep, "Clow, wake now!"

"Keroberos." Clow's hand started to glow brighter, and the little boy murmured, "Guardian of the sun, come forth . . . thy master calls thee . . ."

Yue sat up, and started to shake Clow a little harder, "Clow please . . . please!"

"Release . . ." Clow breathed, his deep blue eyes fluttering open, it took a few moments as the boy awoke, but the glowing magic circle, and the glow in his hand quickly faded. He yawned widely, "What's wrong, Yue?"

Before Yue could answer, the bed suddenly shook, something from under it moving slowly. Yue's bottom lip started to tremble, and Clow held his hand tightly, as the something under the bed started to mewl quietly. 

"What's . . . under . . . my bed . . . Yue?" 

Yue shrugged, and squeaked slightly, visibly trying not to scream as the bed jumped.

The something under the bed started to growl slightly, and the bed jumped again and again. 

"Stop it!" Clow called out, "Or Yue and I shall . . . shall . . . we'll . . ." Clow trailed off as the something under the bed crawled out. Large fluffy wings fluttered gently, and the something under the bed stumbled and fell over. Clow and Yue exchanged a look before climbing off the bed, the something under the bed, a small kitten of some sort mewled quietly, it's eyes shut tight. 

Clow crouched down beside it, and ran a finger over the strange helmet, "What are you?"

The mewling stopped and the strange creature looked at him, Clow smiled warmly as the golden eyes widened. Yue started to look a little concerned as the cat thing started to draw a deep breathe.

"AIEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

"Shh! Shh!" Clow jumped and pressed his fingers against his lips, "Shhhh! You'll wake Mamma and Papa! Shhh!" 

Yue stepped forward, and clamped his hands on the cub's wide mouth. It looked at him in surprise and a little bit of fear, "Shh. . ." Yue frowned, "Must not wake Mamma and Papa!"

The kitten's eyes widened as Clow and Yue tried to calm it, Yue held the cat's mouth shut as Clow grabbed his bedside's candle. He stumbled slightly as he ran back to get his wand. Yue watched this entirely, and kept his hands firmly clamped on the lion's small mouth . . . despite the fact the lion was now pawing his hands and whimpering.

Clow was trembling slightly, and fumbling with his wand and his candle. He put the candle on the floor and pointed his wand at it, "Um . . . umm . . . oh . . ." he stared at the wand, "Oh, drats . . . I've forgotten the spell . . ." he looked at Yue, "Do you remember it?"

Yue's eyes crossed slightly as he thought. The little angel shook his head slowly, "No . . ." 

Clow sighed, "Um . . . uh, candle light!" He tapped the candle's wick; nothing happened, "Oh, drat and double drat!"

"Ow!" Yue squeaked. Clow jumped and turned to find the little lion panting and gasping for breath while Yue glared at it, waving his hand. "It bite me!"

The lion stopped panting and eyed Yue. It's gold eyes narrowed, as Yue glared at it, his own light purple eyes narrowing. Clow smiled at the strange pair, he'd never known anything to provoke Yue to a full glare. "Whatever shall we call it?"

"Mean thing."

The lion growled at Yue, and much to Clow's amazement, Yue growled back. Clow giggled and petted Yue on the head, "We can't call him mean thing, that would be mean." The kitten smiled at Clow and sauntered around to his other side, stroking and purring against him. It glanced at the candle and smelt it, Clow chuckled, "It's supposed to give us light!"

The lion looked at him and blinked. It started to float off the ground slightly, and glowed with a bright gold light. Clow gasped, "Pretty!" He held up his hand and was surprised even more when he realised he was casting a double shadow, he turned and found Yue glowing too, reflecting the lion's bright light. Clow stepped towards him and curled a hand around Yue's small pale cheek, "Even prettier!" 

Yue smiled at Clow, and blushed, fluttering his wings gently, and bringing them around to hide his blushing face. The lion snorted, and spread his wings proudly. He purred as Clow turned and petted him. Yue's eyes narrowed even more and he folded his arms, "You call it Keroberos."

"Keroberos?" Clow blinked, "When?"

"When you make it . . ."

Clow smiled, "I did?" He looked down at the purring kitten, "Did I make you all by myself?"

The kitten purred some more, and shrugged, if it knew, it didn't care, if it didn't, it still didn't care. Yue frowned at the kitten, and then at Clow, "I go back to bed." He spun on his heel and went to climb back on bed . . . 

Clow frowned as Keroberos' purring stopped suddenly, and the little lion suddenly crouched down. His gold eyes were wide with sudden pleasure, and they darted from left to right, carefully watching. Clow turned to look at what he was watching. Yue was still trying to climb on to the bed . . . he winced slightly as Kero stalked forward, his prey completely unawares . . . Clow realised what had caught Keroberos' attention . . . Yue's hair . . .

"Yue!" Clow called out too late.

"GGGRRRRMEOWW!!" Keroberos giggled.

Just as Yue had managed to get a leg up onto the bed, and at least half his body ready to pull up . . . the angel's eyes widened, and he actually screamed as Kero suddenly pounced on the alluring white hair . . .

The Next Morning. . .

Mamma tensed as she felt her son and Yue near the breakfast room, "Eriol . . ."

Papa pulled the baking tray out of the oven and smiled over his fresh bread, "Yes, my love?"

"Clow's done it again . . ."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"PAPA! MAMMA!!" Clow bounced into the kitchen, Yue trailing slowly behind him, "Look what I made!"

Papa set the tray down and wiped his floury hands on his apron, Yue was carrying a . . . Mamma tilted her head as she tried to identify the thing in Yue's arms, it was a small lion . . . with wings and strange armour . . . 

"Clow . . .?" Papa knelt by Yue and pulled the new creature out of his arms gently, the magic of the sun virtually dripping from this creature as he slept. It purred deeply in his arms, "Clow, how do you *know* you created this creature?"

"Yue said so."

"Oh." Papa sat in his chair and cradled this new life, he glanced at his wife as she picked up Yue, the angel looked a little dishevelled.

"Are you all right Yue?" Yue blinked and looked at Mamma as she rocked him gently, he nodded dazedly and put his thumb in his mouth, the angel quickly followed his new brother into sleep. 

Clow stepped back and watched his new little family, a warm feeling spreading in his heart. It was balanced . . . he tilted his head; whatever it was that needed balancing . . . it was balanced now.

Keroberos opened his eyes weakly, the sunlight hurting his eyes. He mewled quietly, and hung his head. "Come over here you silly cat!" The lion looked up and smiled at Clow and Yue, Clow was standing under their favourite tree and beckoning him over, and Yue was sitting a book resting in his lap. The angel was now looking a little more rested at least. 

Clow smiled as the lion stumbled over, and tripped into his arms. "So now I have a lion called Keroberos . . ." he tapped Keroberos on the nose, the lion giggled quietly. Clow turned and leant over Yue, speaking softly, "And an angel called Yue . . ." he smiled to himself and slid down besides Yue, picking up his book from his lap. He began to read quietly, leaning slightly towards Yue's shoulder. Yue smiled, and glanced at Keroberos, "Be good, kitty!" he muttered warningly. 

Keroberos growled at him, then threw his nose into the air, and sauntered to Clow's side. He humph-ed loudly, stuck his tongue out at Yue and leant over Clow's book. "It's called a book . . ." Keroberos glanced at Clow, as the young child spoke, "You read things from it . . . sometimes there are words, and sometimes there's just pictures . . . books can tell you many, many, many things. . ."

- - - - - - - - 

And Now It's Time For LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!!

DrM: still so very sugary coated. . . and I should have probably mentioned this reight at the beginning, erm. . . the whole ExS – that's as in Sakura there – that doesn't come in until the end. . . mostly because the Sakura arch of this story isn't until then. . . [sighs] it's not so muc that I hate cute and fluffy but that I never thought I'd ever write one. . .

Clow: for shame. . .

DrM: [sobs] am I . . .? am I loosing my touch Clow?

Clow: [pats DrM on the head] we'll only know when Tainted Soul's sequel There Lies Hope comes out. . . [shakes head sadly] People, out of a mark of respect for DrM's once hardened anti-fluffy-writer-self, I ask you to R&R. . . please. . .


	3. Grand . . . [Sigh] . . . Mamma . . .

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles . . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS . . . that's as in Sakura there . . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .But I guess I better clear something up. . . The Whole Eriol-Sakura Thing. . . that doesn't come in until the end, and Clow's father being called Eriol too doesn't mean the Eriol we all know and love is Clow's papa. . . if that makes sense, it just happens that they are called the same thing. . . I just happen to be addicted to Coinidinks. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

Grand . . . [Sigh] . . . Mamma . . .

_~Four years later. . .~_

"The Great English Countryside . . ."

Clow sighed and pressed his head hard back against the warm Reed red seat. The rolling hills and the dipping valleys were a testament to the farmers' restraint, the young fowls and the mewling sheep babies falling over themselves as they stumbled across the green grass of the meadows. The trees were in full bloom, apple and cherry blossoms filling the air with a sweet scent, as their carriage rambled through the winding country roads . . . oh, so beautiful . . .

"Are we there yet?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Very sure?"

"Yes."

"*Reeeeeeeeally* very sure?"

"Yes!"

". . . Where are we going?"

Yue threw his hands up, "I told you that ten minutes ago!"

Keroberos' eyes crossed slightly as he thought about it, ". . . I think you're lying to me . . ."

The moon angel pinched his nose in this charming little habit he had picked up from Clow's schoolmaster. "I am not lying to you Keroberos." Clow smiled as he watched them, he glanced at his parents. Mamma and Papa were sat together opposite, Mamma in her travelling clothes and Papa in his family robes, Clow had some too but he was more like his mother and refused to wear them while travelling. Papa smiled, and winked at his son. 

Clow smiled back, and sighed, "Come on you two . . ." he said quietly, "Try to sleep for a little while . . ."

"I don't wanna sleep!" Keroberos called, he pressed his face against the window, "MI mmanna mnow mhere me're mmoing!"

Yue, seated on the other side, shook his head, "Keroberos, you shall leave a smudge . . . Stop it."

"You're not the master of me . . ." Keroberos sank back down, he sat and tossed his nose into the air, "In fact, no one is the master of me . . . *I* . . ." he smiled smugly, "I am the master of everything . . ."

Yue opened his mouth to retort when Mamma said something in very quiet, very quick Chinese. Yue sat back, and closed his eyes, becoming incredibly still. Keroberos growled, "What did she say?" He nudged Clow, "What did she say?!"

Clow smiled knowingly at his mother, "She told Yue to choose his battles carefully, the superior man treads lightly and, with modesty and little anger, finds that he is the stronger . . ." He tilted his head towards Keroberos, "All things come to those with patience . . ."

Keroberos blinked, and looked past Clow to observe Yue, "What did he just say?!"

A smile tweaked at Yue's lips, "Nothing of any great importance to you, Keroberos . . ."

Keroberos blinked again and look balefully at Papa, who laughed and leant forward. He ruffled Keroberos' ears, "Stop worrying your pretty little head, they said that Yue must learn not to pick on you over such petty things."

A purr of satisfaction ended that conversation. Keroberos' head lolled to the window, "So . . . Are we there yet?"

_~An hour later . . .~_

"We're still not there yet then?" 

"No, Keroberos, we're not . . ." Clow smiled and petted the lion's ears, "And shh . . . Mamma and Yue are trying to sleep . . ."

Papa was reading quietly, Mamma's head resting gently in his lap, he ran his fingers through her hair ever so often. Mamma always slept during coach journeys. Clow smiled as he looked into his own lap, Yue was a perfect mirror of his mother. Curled up slightly with one hand held out bouncing along with the carriage. Clow smiled as he brushed Yue's fringe out of his eyes, the angel was fast asleep.

Keroberos pawed at his bag of jellybeans, Clow smiled gently. It was something they both shared over the years, an intense love of jellybeans, Yue wasn't too keen on them but he did love the strawberry flavours, Keroberos eat almost everything under the sun and then some, the kitten could just eat and eat and eat, even when Clow couldn't eat anymore the kitten would complain of being hungry! Keroberos chewed on some blackcurrant beans and pressed his face against the glass again. "Are we---?"

"Not yet," Clow chuckled quietly, "Patience, Keroberos, is a virtue."

Keroberos lifted his face from the glass, "Where are we going?"

Papa chuckled, "Like a sieve, you!"

The lion blinked happily, as he turned to Clow, wanting an answer. "What's a sieve? "

Clow shook his head, "It's something you can fill with all the rice in the world, but it shall always be empty . . ."

"What does that mean?"

"It means . . ." Yue mumbled from deep within his sleep, "That you can be told everything in the world, but you shall never remember a word of it . . ."

"A word of what?" Keroberos chuckled deeply as Yue frowned and rolled over. "But really, where are we going?"

The smile faded slowly from Clow's face, "We're going to Auntie Antoinette and Grand . . ." Clow sighed deeply and slouched, ". . . Mamma . . ."

Keroberos' eyes crossed, "Why do we need to ride in a coach to see Mamma?"

"No, no . . . not my Mamma . . . Papa's Mamma . . ." Clow explained quietly, "Ger name is . . . Grand . . ." he sighed again, ". . . Mamma . . ."

"What's wrong with her?" Yue mumbled quietly.

Clow lifted his hand and laced it with Yue's hair, playing with it gently, "You'll see . . ."

"Come here boy!" 

Clow tried not to trip over his robes as he approached Grand . . . he sighed quietly to himself . . . Mamma . . . 

"Good afternoon Grandmamma . . ." Clow swallowed the almost instinctive sigh, "It's such a pleasure to see you and Auntie Antoinette once again on such a---"

"And this . . ." The sour old woman's deep blue eyes narrowed, her old wooden walking stick snapped up with a speed unhealthy for a woman her age, "What is it?"

Yue's eyes crossed slightly as he gazed at the end of the stick with distain, "My name is Yue . . ." He blinked and turned his eyes on the craggy old woman, "I am a he, madam, and you will kindly refer to me as such."

"Such, eh?"

Yue's nostrils flared, and Keroberos giggled. The craggy old woman's eyes snapped onto him, "And this?" She bopped him on the head, "What is this?"

Keroberos frowned as he rubbed his head with his paw, "I'm Keroberos . . ." He took a menacing step forward, "And if you are not careful . . . I shall eat you up!" 

Grandmamma stared at him before she bopped him sharply on the head again; Keroberos whimpered and looked at Clow, the young boy was carefully keeping his expression neutral. Yue stepped forward, "Don't do that . . ." he said quietly, "It is not polite and it hurts . . ." Grandmamma's eyes narrowed as she raised her stick.

Clow blinked as, in a blink of an eye, Yue had caught the stick as it came crashing down on him. Grandmamma tried to wrench it from his grasp but he held it tightly. "I said . . ." he reminded her quietly, "Do not do it." The craggy old woman frowned as Yue pulled the stick out of her hand. 

A hush came over the family as Yue brought the stick back down on her head sharply.

There was a collective intake of breath as Grandmamma's eyes widened, her winkled little face undulating as her small red mouth fell open. Clow swallowed and closed his eyes, willing himself not to laugh. Keroberos had less grace and snorted gleefully. He crowed happily, "Do it again!" He clapped his paws happily, "Yue, do it again!!"

A chuckle caused Mamma to throw a glance sideways. Mamma squeezed her husband, "Eriol . . ." she murmured warningly as he hid his chuckle behind a cough. His bright blue sparkled with mirth as he glanced at his sister. She was a diminutive little woman, with fresh lavender grey eyes and a distinctive blue tint to her hair. Antoinette gasped in shock as Grandmamma stood.

"Young man . . ." she spoke in low tones, Clow stood a little straighter and looked her in the eyes, "This construct of yours is out of hand . . . you will correct it immediately." 

Yue handed back her stick and stared up at her, he folded his arms and said quietly, "Yi Shi Tong Ren . . ." 

"What?!" Grandmamma blustered, "What did it say?" She raised the stick again and tapped Yue on the head, "Speak up thing, and speak in the proper language!"

"Stop it. Now." Yue rolled his eyes, and breathed out slowly. "And I said that you should Extend Same Treatment To All."

Grandmamma drew a quick breath and slammed the stick down hard on Yue's poor skull. "You shan't talk to me like that . . . you are nothing but a construct!" She started to punctuate her every word with a hard blow, "Do you hear me?"

The fourth word drove Yue to the ground. 

Mamma tensed and edged forward in her seat. Papa grabbed his wife's hand and shook his head silently; he watched his son's expression. Clow glanced at Yue, then at his Grandmamma. The awful old woman glared at him, "Well . . .? What are you waiting for, Boy?! This construct is obviously defective, I demand you remove it from existence this instant!" She glared as Keroberos leant over Yue, checking him if he was okay, "And that one too . . . I don't like it, it's ugly!"

Clow stared at her, his bright blue eyes widening with fury.

Yue rubbed his head, and Keroberos walked around his back to support him, "Are you okay, Yue?" 

Yue was quiet and hung his head. "My head hurts . . ." he raised his hand and gingerly touched his scalp, "My head . . ." his eyes filled with tears, "My head hurts!!"

Grandmamma's eyes narrowed again, and she opened her mouth to speak and waved her stick over Yue's battered crown when . . .

"If you touch them again, I shall take that stick and I shall hit you twice as many times as you have hit them." 

Once again Grandmamma's mouth fell open, "What did you say?"

"I believe you heard me Grandmamma . . . they are my creations, they are my friends, and their names are Yue and Keroberos . . . and if you touch my creations again, or even continue to be so utterly rude to them, I shall take Yue's advice and treat you the same way." Clow stepped forward and knelt by Yue, the angel's head dipped once or twice, his eyes utterly unfocused. Clow clenched his fists and stood suddenly, "You've really hurt him . . . you . . . you . . . OLD HAG!!" Clow roared, "You've hurt him really badly!!" A nearby table started to rumble, Yue cowered against his brother, as Clow got even angrier, "I will not tolerate you anymore . . . my name is Clow Reed, not Boy! You will apologise immediately to Yue!"

The table's rumbling got worse and few of Grandmamma's priceless vases broke.

Keroberos craned his neck, "What's happening?" But he got no answer as Yue clutched his head, and moaned quietly. Mamma glanced at her husband, Papa nodded knowingly as did Antoinette. Grandmamma leant over her stick and peered at Clow throw her old wire rimmed glasses, "And what will you do to make me . . ." her voice dripping with sarcasm, ". . . Boy?"

The table started to float off the ground and a few paintings fell off their hangings.

Clow drew a deep breath and opened his mouth to retort when there was a quiet cry from Yue. He turned to find both Keroberos and Yue staring at him, Yue's swaying was worse and he was relying on Keroberos to keep him upright. Clow turned back to Grandmamma, and answered calmly, "Nothing . . ." He turned away from her and walked to Yue, "Because the time I spend anger on you with . . ." The table's rumbling subsided and Clow sat beside his angel and allowed the white haired angel to curl up in his lap, ". . . could be used to help my angel . . ." He placed his hand on the bump and got a whimper of pain from Yue. He glanced up at her, "I shall not waste a drop of my magic or my time on you!"

There was silence as Clow turned his attention back on his injured angel; Keroberos wrapped his wing around Yue, unconsciously shielding him from the rest of the world. Clow lifted his angel's head, gently tilting it to check his eyes, "Oh . . . my angel . . ."

The sound of clapping made him look up, Grandmamma smiled at him roguishly. Mamma was sighing with relief, and pressing her hand against her chest, Auntie Antoinette pressed her hand over her mouth and was going bright red with delight. Papa nodded proudly, "Son . . . it took me until I was sixteen---"

"Eighteen, Eriol dearest, eighteen . . ." Grandmamma chuckled deeply, she turned her attention back on Clow, "Well done Clow . . . every Reed has to suffer the same test, just to check how they can handle their magic . . ." She hobbled over to his angel and put her hand on his sore head, "I'm sorry . . . Yue? Did you say your name is?" The angel nodded numbly, she smiled, "Well . . . you'll be staying here for a little while, I'll learn your names then . . . in the meantime, Eriol, tend to your son and his creations . . . Antoinette stop looking like a pumpkin and set the tea." 

-----------------------

DrM: Sugar Intake . . . rotting teeth!! Plotting . . . too obvious . . . so very un-DrM-like!!

Yue: Must . . . get . . . DrM . . . to . . . stop . . . talking . . . like . . . Captain . . . Kirk!! . . . getting . . . on nerves . . .

Kero: Must . . . tell . . . readers . . . to R and . . . R!! For the . . . Sake . . . of DrM!! . . . Must . . . R&R . . . 

DrM: heh, heh, oh and To people who complain about the fact I hate fluff . . . I don't I really don't I love fluff . . . it's just I'm Doctor Megalomania . . . I'm an Evil Overlord, Damnit . . . how can I keep my rep as a heartless cruel bitch who would steal candy from Mister Burns if I keep writing stuff like that?! 

Mister Burns: Why you!! I'll beat you to a mushy pulp!! [Starts hitting DrM]

DrM: [looks around quizzically, then looks at Mister Burns] Stop that . . . stop it now . . . it's annoying . . . quit it!!


	4. Once Upon a Spring . . .

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

_Once Upon a Spring . . ._

Clow lay back and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, he could not sleep. He though about what had happened, how Grandmamma had goaded him into this silly little test of the Reeds. His mother had explained later that the Reeds didn't train their children like the Li's did, they believed that the children would train themselves, better themselves though learning the art themselves, reading books and writing to the next generation. Clow wrinkled his nose and frowned, "What a backward way . . ." he muttered; he sat up and tapped his candle with his wand. 

As the light filled the room, Clow looked about, Yue and Keroberos were sleeping in the adjoining room. Clow sighed, he could never sleep like this, and he'd bet all the jellybeans in the world that Yue and Keroberos couldn't either.

His door creaked open.

"Still awake there, Clow-y?"

"Auntie!" Clow groaned, "My name is Clow . . . Kl—ooooooooh!"

Auntie Antoinette giggled; "I'm sure it is . . ." She walked in her pale blue nightdress swishing quietly. Clow smiled as his favourite Auntie jumped up on to his bed. Her deep blue hair swung about her shoulders loosely, as she pulled a bag from behind her back, "Here you go!"

Clow chuckled as she handed him the bag of jellybeans, "Auntie Antoinette!" He intoned quietly, "You shall rot This Boy's teeth!"

"Phshaw!" Auntie waved her hand at him, "Rubbish . . . unless This Boy doesn't brush his teeth on a regular basis!" She poked him, "Those creations of yours are very nice . . ."

Clow swallowed a handful of jellybeans, "But?"

"But . . ." Auntie sighed, "What's with the angel wings?"

"I like angels . . ." Clow shrugged and put the bag carefully in the drawer, "Why? What do you like?"

She chuckled, "I'd have big butterfly wings!!" She lifted her arms, "And Keroberos would be blue! And Yue would be a girl!"

Clow frowned, "I like them the way they are!" He folded his arms, "I'm not changing them."

Auntie giggled again and rubbed her knuckles against his scalp, "I'm not suggesting you do, you stubborn little mage!"

He grinned and reached up to touch her hair, "Auntie?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you have blue hair?"

Her eyes crinkled, "Because I am a reincarnation . . ." Clow's eyes widened, she smiled, "I had a past life called Greta Reed, she lived about three hundred years ago."

Clow blinked, "You're my Auntie but you're . . ."

"Also the reborn version of someone else . . . but don't worry," She winked, "It doesn't change anything . . . "

He smiled, "Can I have blue hair?"

She shook her head, "But you're not a reincarnation . . . maybe your reincarnation will someday . . ." She smiled, and blew out his candle, "Now. . ." She pushed him back and kissed him lightly, "Sleep."

_The swing beside him was empty, Clow sighed and swung along. He stared at the sky, it was twilight and the sunset fought a gallant battle with the moonrise._

_"It's nice isn't it?"_

_Clow blinked and looked to the swing beside him, a boy in strange black robes sat beside him. The boy smiled again, he was tall and obviously in his later teens, "Don't worry . . . she's be along soon . . ."_

_"Who are you?"_

_The blue haired boy smiled knowingly, "You never asked her what her name is . . . why ask mine?"_

_Clow frowned, "I dunno . . ." They swung in silence, before Clow spoke again, "When will she be here?"_

_"I'm here now." Clow turned to find her sitting beside him on the other side._

_"Hello!" He smiled, she was wearing yet another pretty dress, this time it was big and white, he frowned slightly, "Did you just get married?"_

_The girl giggled, "Hai!"_

_"Oh . . ." Clow felt bad about this, but he wondered why, why should he feel sad about a dream girl being married? "Congratulations."_

_The girl giggled again unaware of his inner depression, "So . . . would you like to play the game again?"_

_Clow glanced at the blue haired boy, he had stopped swinging and was watching the girl with some intent, his expression carefully held in a smile. Clow turned his head and nodded, "Okay . . . what do I need to do?"_

_~The Next Morning . . .~_

"WAKE UP!! IT'S MORNING!! WAKE UP!!" 

"GET OFF MY BED!!"

"MAKE ME!! BREAKFAST TIME!! WAKE UP WAKE UP WAKE UP!!"

Clow opened his eyes to the sound of Keroberos and Yue arguing. He sighed and rolled out of the bed. 

"Get off!" Yue shouted pleadingly, "You're hurting my hair!!"

Clow smiled and shook his head; he was just about to walk through their door when . . .

:: flutter :: flutter :: flutter ::

Clow turned and came face to face with a large blue panther with black wings and a very long tail. The cat tilted it's head, a deep blue gem imbedded in his forehead glinting slightly in the dim morning light. "Hello . . ." He murmured, "What are you then?"

The cat tilted it's head to the other side and blinked.

The door barrelled open, and Yue and Keroberos ran through, Keroberos was giggling nervously and Yue was running after his tail. "Come here you, overgrown housecat, I shall cut off your tail and hang you with it!!" The pair ran in circles until Keroberos flew into the cat, he came to a screeching halt, and Yue ran into the back of him. 

Keroberos' wide gold eyes widened even more, as did the midnight blue of the new cat. Yue stumbled back and fell on his bottom heavily. "Ooft!" He sat there and grumbled quietly to himself, "Animal . . ."

Clow chuckled, "Guess what I did, Yue!" 

Grandmamma sipped her tea slowly, "The boy has created another one . . ." She muttered quietly. Eriol looked up at her, and smiled. Grandmamma shook her head, "This is no laughing matter Eriol . . ."

He looked up at his wife as she swept in gracefully, "Eriol . . . Clow's---"

"Created another?" He chuckled quietly, "We just noticed too my dearest wife . . ." 

She shook her head as he stood, and seated her beside him. He poured her a small cup of green tea, as Antoinette breezed in, "Good morning everyone . . . what are the takings on what Clow's created this time?"

"It should be a girl, and a fish . . ." Grandmamma muttered as she stared at the small pot of green tea, "Li Mah-Sung-Lin . . . Why do you insist on drinking such very un---"

"Un-English tea?" Eriol interrupted and turned to his wife and picked up her hand gallantly, "My dearest Mah-Sung, you should be drinking best of England!"

His wife raised a thin eyebrow, and said quietly and very dryly, "You do realise nearly all tea is grown in china?"

Grandmamma chuckled and shook her head, "And now we know where that sweet angel of Clow's gets his very personality!" 

Mah-Sung smiled gracefully and dipped her head, "If only to counter Eriol's teaching of the Sun Guardian . . ." she peered at her husband as he tipped his third spoonful of sugar into his tea, "By the time that lion is fully grown, he shall be a very fearsome creature. . . fat and toothless!"

Eriol chuckled, and passed the pot of English tea to his younger sister. Antoinette smiled, "Shh. . ." she murmured as she glanced at the door, "Here they come!!"

Yue blinked as he pushed the door open, the room filled with unexpected silence and hushed expectations. He looked at each person, not quite sure how to respond to the situation. Mamma smiled and stood, she dipped her head politely, giving Yue something to do. He responded with a quick polite bow, "Good morning . . ." He paused as he silently asked Mamma who would be the best person to politely greet first.

Mamma's soft black eyes flickered to Grandmamma.

". . . Lady Reed . . ." he bowed to the oldest woman first, then turned to Papa, and to mamma, and finally to Auntie Antoinette, "Reed-san . . ."

Auntie Antoinette smiled and stood, "Well?" She seemed fit to burst, "Who or what has he created?"

Papa frowned, "Antoin. . . Some patience please. . ."

She smirked at him, and knelt in front of Yue, "Well?"

The angel stepped aside, "Please . . . follow me . . ."

_~One Month Later . . .~_

"Bet you can't."

"Bet I can . . ."

Spinel raised a sceptical eyebrow at his brother and sniffed, "I bet I could do it better than you . . ."

"Bet you can't."

"You're on."

"You bet I am!"

As Spinel and Keroberos proceeded to stuff daffodils in their mouth, Clow and Yue lay opposite each other, their heads side-by-side and stared at the bright blue sky. Clow sighed happily, and pointed up. "That one looks like a angel . . . and so does that one and so does . . ."

Yue giggled, "Every one looks like an angel according to you!" He pointed up, "That one doesn't though!"

"Yes it does," Clow rolled over and stare into Yue's unique eyes, "It looks like an angel cloud gazing . . ."

Yue snorted and blushed, as Clow kissed his chin lightly. The black haired boy rolled over and lay back on the springy grass, "Yue?"

"Hmm?" 

"What does it feel like when you're in love?"

"I think it must be really nice."

"Really?"

"Yeah," Yue rolled over, and stared down at Clow, "Why?"

"You know how I said there's a girl in my dreams?"

"Hai . . ."

"Well . . . I saw a blue haired boy with her last time . . . and I felt that he was in love . . . I mean . . ." he blushed slightly, "I knew somehow . . ." 

"Really?" Yue blew a lock off Clow's forehead, "What make you say that?"

Clow fell silent before admitting quietly, "I feel like I know him . . ." 

"Wha---?"

"MI MMMWIN!!" A muffled shout of victory sounded from the other end of the garden, and Keroberos came bounding over his mouth filled to bursting with daffodils and stems and roots and dirt. "Mmlook mmat mmmeee!! Mmmookit!! Mmmookit!!"

Clow and Yue blinked at him, before Clow stood up, "How did you win?"

"MM've mmgot mthe mmost Maffodils mmin mmy mmouth!" Keroberos frowned at him, the roots of some unlucky daffodil hanging out of his mouth. The lion rolled his eyes as if the fact he had won wasn't evidence enough. 

"And Spinel?" Yue looked past his brother to see Spinel upturned on his back, twitching slightly. It took a moment or two for the angel and his creator to realise that Spinel was going a certain shade of blue that wasn't entirely natural . . .  

--------------------------------------

And Now It's Time To Leave It To Doctor Megalomania!!!

DrM: heh, heh, sorry for not updating in a while . . . my cute phase kinda past . . . but, [sighs] don't worry. . . it's back again. . .

Clow: Repent!! The End Is Nigh!

Spinel: [hopeful] the end of this fic?

DrM: [grins] nope! We've still got ruby to got, and then the next arch of this story!!

Spinel: damn!

Keroberos: mmmmm. . . jellybeans. . .

Yue: mmmm. . . Clow Reed . . .

DrM: mmmm. . . readers being very nice people and R&R-ing. . .


	5. Once Upon An Autumn

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

_~Once upon an Autumn . . .~_

"Oh . . . I . . . I . . . I can't take it any more . . ." Clow wailed loudly, "I'm going to do it! I will! I'm going to jump!!"

"No! No!" Spinel leapt up with alarm, Keroberos and Yue glanced at each other and watched Clow and Spinel with interest, Spinel was getting quite upset. "Don't do it!! Noooooo!"

Clow sobbed, "goodbye!! I go to a much better place!!" Dry sobs racked his chest deeply, "Oh, goodbye cruel world, goodbye!!"

"NOOOOOOO!!!" Spinel wailed as he watched the fall. Yue and Keroberos leant out the window as Spinel leapt out of the window. Yue looked at Keroberos out of the edge of his gaze, as the lion struggled to keep a straight face, he caught Yue's gaze and blushed under his gold fur as he muttered quickly. "I didn't fall for it last time."

Clow was practically wetting himself on his floor, as Yue cracked. Keroberos got on his hind legs and yelled after Spinel, "Spinel!! For Clow's sake, it's only a leaf!!" 

Once Spinel had returned . . .

"Eh?"

"Clow . . . he's a bit of a voice thrower . . . that and he's done it to all three of us now . . ."

Spinel blinked again, and glanced at Clow, then at the leaf he had so sun-guardian-ly rescued, "eh?!"

"Thank you. . ." Clow squeaked in the 'leaf' voice, "you saved me. . ." Clow sniggered and glanced at Yue, "unlike Yue. . . who was just plain mean. . ."

"What did Yue do?" Keroberos looked up at his older brother.

"Yue. . ." Clow folded his arms and stared at the angel, who had the good grace to at least look away, "Yue threw a rock at the leaf in order to help it off it's mortal coil. . ." 

Yue growled, "but you made it sound really like it was in pain. . ."

"You threw a rock at it!!" Clow laughed, and knelt by Spinel as he glanced from the leaf to Clow, "okay. . . I was just playing a trick on you, okay?"

Spinel nodded, "what did Keroberos do?"

Yue wrinkled his nose, and laughed a rare guffaw, Keroberos growled, and padded over to his drawer of stuff. As the lion tried to looked really busy, Clow explained how Keroberos, so traumatised by the leaf's apparent suicide, that he insisted that the whole family go into full mourning, and that Yue had to wear black and Clow had to wear his full family robes, and that the leaf had to have a full funeral . . .

"He even gave a ten-minute eulogy!!" Clow sniggered; Keroberos picked up his bag of jellybeans and sauntered to the window.

"I'm going to eat these all by myself . . ." he leapt up, and threw his nose in the air, "and I won't save any for you, Clow Reed!"

Clow tried to look really upset, but waved Keroberos and Spinel off as they flew off. He glanced at Yue, who was laughing quietly to himself. The angel climbed onto the edge of Clow's bed and smiled sweetly, "you really are very mean. . . you know that, right?"

Clow nodded, and climbed up beside him, "but it's funny!!"

"You're still mean!" Yue sniffed as he threw himself back onto the bed, allowing his white hair to spill everywhere. Clow smiled and lowered himself lightly onto the sensitive hair. It was soft and warm, and silken against his skin, the smell of lavender and general Yue-ness clung to it. 

"Clow?"

"Hmm. . ." he closed his eyes, and dozed slightly.

"It's your birthday soon. . ." 

"I know. . ."

He grumbled quietly as he felt Yue get up, and opened his eyes as he felt the angel lean over him. Yue blinked, "what do you want for your birthday?"

"Dunno . . ." Clow yawned, "nothing big . . ."

_~Later that night. . .~_

_The girl swung back and forth slowly, she had been waiting for him for a little while. Clow ran up to her excitedly, "I . . ." he blurted, "I wasn't expecting to see you twice in one year!" She blinked and looked up, she was so much older now. He frowned, "what's wrong?"_

_She didn't answer, just swung a little faster._

_"Please. . ." Clow climbed onto the swing next to her, "you can tell me. . ."_

_"I . . ." she murmured, "I just lost two very dear friends of mine. . ."_

_"Really?" Clow murmured sadly, "I'm sorry. . ."_

_"For what? It's not like you could do anything about it. . ." she smiled slightly, "but I'm not here to tell you about that. . ." she tried to put on a brave face, "would you like to play the game again?"_

_"No. . ." Clow stopped swinging, "I want to help you. . . please, if it would help. . . let me. . ."_

_"Iie. . ." she smiled slightly, "It's very kind of you to offer but I . . ." Her voice cracked slightly, and her hand slipped absently to her stomach as she got off the swing, "I'd rather play the game."_

_Clow slid of the swing, and despite her height over his small twelve-year-old frame; he wrapped his arms around her, "Only if it cheers you up?"_

_She sniffed, and actually laughed, "Okay . . ." She paused and looked up, Clow turned and the blue haired boy was back. _

_"Hello Clow . . ." The blue haired boy smiled slightly, he shrugged and glanced at the dream girl, "I came to lend a hand . . ."_

_The girl smiled and nodded, "Hai . . ." She climbed onto the swing, "Okay Clow . . . are you ready?"_

_Clow climbed on to his swing and glanced at the blue haired boy, he stood behind the girl and pushed her gently. He blinked; he was providing some support for her. The girl closed her eyes, and sighed, she cradled her stomach once again. Clow smiled slightly, knowing that, at least the girl would be well cared for. He frowned slightly as he realised he probably would forget most of this as soon as he awoke. Sighing, Clow nodded to the girl, "Yes . . . I am . . ."_

_The next day. . ._

"Greedy pig!" Yue complained as they returned to Clow's room to play. "Pig, I say, PIG!"

Keroberos shrugged, "I'm faster than the speed of lightning . . ." He grinned, "Lightning cannot wait for Yue to swallow his drink before starting the last pancake."

"I even told you I was going to eat it . . ." The angel swiped at him, "And even then you ate it!!"

"Lightning must act fast." Keroberos got lost in his little daydream, "Yue must be faster than the lightning . . . With training, Yue might even become one with the lightning . . ."

Yue rolled his eyes, and pushed Spinel forward, "You deal with him!"

Spinel chuckled as Keroberos began to act like an old Kung Foo master. "Keroberos, you are crazy . . ."

Clow smiled and grabbed Yue's hand, "Cheer up . . . there will be other pancakes."

"But I wanted that one!" Yue scowled stubbornly, "And that greedy pig still ate it."

Clow shook his head and pushed his bedroom door open. He stopped in the doorway and stared. Yue blinked and followed his gaze, his light purple eyes widening. Spinel shook his head slowly, at Keroberos' continuing tale about the Lightning, and stared into the room wondering why everyone had stop. Keroberos trailed off as he followed Spinel's gaze.

The four blinked.

The girl blinked back, and her chewing slowed to a stop. "Helloooo . . ." She said around a mouthful of jellybeans, "My name's Ruby Moon."  

The four in the doorway blinked, and glanced at each other. Then the two cats and the white haired angel stared at the human boy. 

She raised an eyebrow, and slid off Clow's bed, taking the bag of Keroberos' jellybeans with her. Ruby walk up to the door, and stared at the human boy, she felt . . . drawn to him. The jellybeans spilt out of the bag as she dropped them, and jumped up suddenly. Clow yelped in surprise as the ruby girl wrapped her arms around his neck. "What are you doing?!"

"I love you!!" She crowed, "You made me!!"

"Ooooh!!" Clow smiled and hugged her back, "That's great! Now you can be Spinel's yin!!"

Spinel's eyes widened, and he stepped back as the girl turned to look at him, she grinned and started to chew again, "What is your name again?"

". . . Spinel . . ." The cat answered quietly, "Hello Ruby-san . . ."

"Spidel?" The pink haired girl lisped slightly as she spoke around the huge lump of jellybean, she frowned and wrinkled her nose, "That's a really hard name, you should be called . . . something cute, like . . . Suppi!" Ruby grinned, and looked around quickly, she spotted Keroberos' bag of jellybeans and picked them quickly, "Wanna eat some of these? They are really nice!"

"Um . . . no, thank you," Spinel backed up a little, "I don't really---"

"But they're really nice!!" Ruby frowned, and then grinned as she quickly grabbed a handful out of the bag, "Here! Quickly, eat these!! Quickly!!"

Spinel jumped as ruby suddenly rushed him, and jammed the sweets into his mouth. Clow looked up to the ceiling, "oh no. . ."

Yue stared worriedly at ruby, as if he was questioning her sanity, Keroberos stared at the bag of jellybeans worriedly before it suddenly occurred to him . . .

"Wait! Waitwaitwaitwait. . . waaaaaaait. . ." Keroberos murmured as he walked closer to the bag of jellybeans she was clutching, "those are MY jellybeans!"

"So?"

"So . . . you should have asked me before you ate them!" Clow chuckled slightly as Keroberos became indignant. The lion could hardly talk, clow thought about the many, many times when keroberos just happened to mistake Clow's bag for his own . . . 

Ruby blinked sweetly as she looked up at him, "No, I shouldn't . . ."

Keroberos' mouth fell open, "Why not?"

Ruby grinned, "you might have said no!" Keroberos growled, as she turned her luminescent attention on the next person. "You got long hair."

"I know . . ." Yue shuffled back, nodded, and turned to walk into the bedroom. He'd managed to get three paces in until the slack on his hair pulled in. Yue stopped, and his eyes widened as he turned. 

Ruby moon was holding the end of his ponytail.

Clow was wincing, Keroberos' mouth had fallen open again, and Spinel was hiccupping quietly. Ruby grinned up at him adorably, "You got reaaaaaaaaalllllly long hair!"

Yue's bottom lip began to tremble as ruby laced her sticky fingers in his hair; she grinned at him again, still chewing a handful of jellybeans before the unthinkable happened.

Ruby sneezed.

. . . Yue's eyes filled with tears.

Not only had she snotted all over his hair . . . the huge lump of chewed jellybean was now stuck to his hair.

Ruby sniffed, and giggled, "Whoopsies . . . I sneezed!"

-----------------------

And Now It's Time to Leave It To Doctor Megalomania!!

DrM: [shudders] Well, now Ruby has=---ACK!!

[Static-static-stactic . . . picture clears, Yue calmly sits behind desk, and shuffles papers] 

Yue: [really calm] The Doctor is out in the moment, and probably will be for a few hours . . . please leave a review . . . [glares at floor off-screen, sound of painful groaning can be heard] I'm sure she'll get it when her bones knit. 


	6. Happy Birthdays...

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

[heh, heh, heh . . . okay, I found salvation, and as a CCS fanfic writer I canne resist it anymore, resistance is futile . . . this fic WILL be CxY-illated . . . Slight warnings, I don't think it will get to an R, maybe a PG-13, but nothing too much . . . if the urgings get too bad, I'll make up a one-shot, but for now . . . this is as hot as it gets . . .]

_Happy Birthdays . . . _

_A Year Later . . ._

"Laa laa laaaa!! It's Clow's burf-day again!!" 

Ruby sang at the top of her voice, as she bounced on Clow's bed. Clow grinned and joined her, singing at the top of his voice too. It was his birthday, and he'd finally hit the numbers with '–teen' on them. He laughed, as he joined in, "It's my burpday!! Tra la la laaaa!!" 

Keroberos wiggled his behind, and wiggled his back, then wiggled all over. Spinel lifted an eyebrow and chuckled as Keroberos continued dance. "You are so crazy . . ."

"Just 'cause you can't dance as great as me. . ." Keroberos closed his eyes, and sauntered beside the panther, "Unless you dance, you can't critique my technique . . ."

The blue panther raised another eyebrow, "You even know what that means?"

Keroberos giggled, "Not a clue!!" Spinel burst into laughter, and got up. The two started to dance and didn't notice Ruby and Clow sink to the bed, holding their foreheads. Ruby grinned, and giggled, "I guess we both had the same idea!"

Clow winced, and held his head where he and Ruby had made contact, "Yeah, guess so!" He looked up as the window opened up, and Yue flew in. he looked around, and smiled as he walked up to Clow. He produced a basket, and smiled, "Happy birthday Clow!"

"For me?" Clow blinked, and took the small basket of flowers and strawberries from Yue. The angel smiled widely, and sank to his knees, resting his hands on Clow's knees. Clow smiled, and breathed, "Thank you. . ."

"OOOOHHH!!" Ruby squealed, breaking the tender moment between the two. She grabbed a strawberry up, and quickly ate it, "Yummy!!" She grinned; unaware Yue was glaring at her. Clow didn't notice the angel either, as Ruby suddenly threw her arms around Clow's neck and proceed to eat all his strawberries.

_Fourteen . . ._

"Happy birthday . . ." Clow looked up, to find Yue standing beside him, hand outstretched with a book. Clow took the book, and smiled up at Yue.

"Thank you . . ." He patted the grass beside him, and Yue slid down beside him, Clow opened the book, to find a beautifully written note to him from Yue. The angel smiled gently as he read for Clow. The young magician listened to every word with a smile on his face. He leant forward and took the book with great care, "Wow . . . you made that up for me?"

The angel smiled shyly and nodded, "I just . . . wanted to . . ." 

"That's all I—"

"CLLLOOOOOOWWWW!!!" Ruby Moon suddenly landed, and ran over. She beamed and leapt into his lap, "Happy birthday!!"

Clow's mouth fell open as he felt the delicate, handmade book rip in his hands, and his eyes widened as he heard Yue start to growl quietly.

_Fifteen . . ._

Clow opened his eyes to Ruby.

He groaned and rolled over, as she grinned, "Happy birthday Clow!!" 

"Ruby . . . it's so early, can't you wish me happy birthday later?" 

"But Yue already got to say it!!" Ruby protested, over the three years of her existence, she and Yue had started to have this rather silly rivalry for Clow's attention. Not that she cared, because she was so beautiful, and she always tried her best, she always won. Clow groaned again, and pulled his pillow over his head, "No, he didn't! Go away!"

"Yes he did, he came in really early!! And it's not fair and—" Clow opened an eye as she suddenly cut off, a coo from her made his close his eyes again and groan, she giggled and leant over him swinging some bag of something swing in front of his face, "Can I have these?!"

"Yes!" Clow moaned, "Anything, just get out of my room!!"

The day past with much celebration, but Clow didn't pay any attention to it at all. Late that night, he sat on his bed, and laced his fingers together. He sighed and looked out, it was getting really, really late and still . . . 

He jabbed at his eyes, and got up. The young mage stormed to Yue's room.

The angel was still up, writing at his desk. Yue liked to do that a lot, sit and write, or read . . . he loved doing it, and Clow found, more and more, Yue would simply just retreat to his room and write about things. Clow frowned, and walked in. Yue sighed, and turned in his seat, "Good evening."

"Good *night* you mean." Clow glared at him, angry at the angel for being so icy calm, "Where have you been?!"

"Here."

Clow frowned, and tried something else, "It's my birthday, Yue . . ." He felt tears well up, and his face draw into a childish frown, "and you weren't there!"

"I was. I stayed with your mother . . ." The angel sighed and turned, "I don't like loud things Clow, you know that."

"I know . . . but . . ." Clow frowned, "You didn't come say happy birthday . . ." 

"I did. You were asleep."

"But . . ."

"I also left you a birthday present." Yue turned, and looked at him, "But you gave it to Ruby."

"I didn't get anything!" Clow defended, "Nothing, I didn't give her anything!!"

"I left a bag of jellybeans on your desk, your favourite jellybeans in a bag I made myself especially for you!" The angel pointed to his bin, his voice calm, "I found Ruby eating them, and the bag ripped. Ruby said you gave them to her because she said happy birthday to you first."

Clow bit his lip, as he remembered what Yue meant. He closed his eyes, "I'm sorry, Yue . . . it was really early and . . . she didn't get them because of that . . ." He paused as Yue got up, and crawled onto his bed. "Hey, Yue . . ."

"I don't mind Clow . . ." Yue murmured, he looked at Clow, his expression completely blank, "I don't care . . ." he nodded, and lay down, "Good night."

_Sixteen . . . _

"OW!!"

Clow swore quietly, and glared at the fallen book as it lay on his father's study's floor. He rubbed his head and looked around for his angel, Yue landed, and muttered growlingly. "Keroberos, if you didn't insist on try to get me to . . ." He trailed off and blinked as Clow smiled lopsidedly at him, "Oh . . . I'm sorry."

Clow shrugged, "I got tired of hearing the same reply from Keroberos, so I came myself . . ." he stepped forward as Yue turned away, and started to stack the books again. "It's my birthday, Yue . . ."

"I know. . ." 

"So?"

"So . . . I thought I'd do some tidying," Yue shrugged and picked up a pile of books, slipping them on to the shelf. "Besides I hate loud things . . . I'll drop by later, and give you your present then."

"Promise?"

"Promise." Yue murmured, and continued to work. Clow sighed and started to slip some book into place too, Yue looked at him and frowned, "Why don't you go back to the party?"

Clow half shrugged, and slid another book onto the shelf, "I'll just do this and then I'll go . . ."

"Thank you." 

Clow tried for half an hour, but left. His Mamma tilted her head quizzically as her son returned, "No luck?"

As Clow shook his head Keroberos looked around, "Where's Ruby?"

"Went off to shee where Clow went . . ." Spinel hiccupped loudly, "'lease I fink sho. . ."

Ruby tapped on the window and leant in as Yue opened it, "Yue . . .?"

"Hmm?" Yue returned to his books.

Ruby sighed, "Why are you crying?"

"I'm not . . . I stubbed my toe."

She glanced at his bare feet, "I'm not surprised . . ." She handed him a tissue, and wrapped her arms around him, "Let me make it better?" Yue looked at her funnily, and she giggled, "You should wear shoes, you know," She tutted and shook her head, "Clow gets so worried about you these days . . . you had better not let him see you sad faced . . ." She bounced off, and jumped onto the desk, "he'll be really sad if he finds you all cry—" She lifted her hand, "Eeeeee!" Yue looked up, to find Ruby sitting on his birthday present to Clow. A half drying painting, that had taken the last three days, of his mother and father . . . 

The angel's eyes rolled upward, as he groaned, "Ruby . . . you klutz!!"

_Seventeen . . . _

Clow looked at the gift, Yue smiled slightly, "Don't you like it?" Clow blinked and looked up, slight disappointment was visible but the young mage tried to hide it valiantly. "Yes . . ." Clow murmured, "I do . . . it's wonderful, I start reading it tonight!"

"Good, " Yue bowed, his cool demeanour in place even here, even though it was just Clow and him alone, "Good night then . . ."

"Good night."

Yue stopped in the door, "Happy birthday, Clow."

"Thank you."

The door closed with a soft click, and Clow dropped the book into his drawer. He hated it. Not because Yue had given him it, but because . . . the young magician folded his arms and tried to sleep, even though he was crying. . . because every year now of his teenaged life, Yue had come to him with a gift. One that had no doubt taken the angel hours, but still he had handmade it himself, and that alone was something so special to Clow. True though, every year since Ruby's creation she had managed to wreck every one, but Clow still kept it. It was a gift. 

This year's gift though . . . was bought, it hadn't even had Yue's handwritten note in the front. 

Clow sighed, and rolled on to his back. Thinking. About why it bothered him so much, he and Yue had virtually grown up together and by default were usually closer. Clow had started to wonder about this a lot, why should it matter that while he became a proper magician, and grew up, his childhood angel became so very quiet and preferred to stay in reading and writing, why should it matter at all . . .?

He got up, deciding he couldn't sleep.  

The young magician walked down the corridor, walking into the bedrooms of his creations. Keroberos was sleeping on his back, legs wriggling in the air. The magician smiled as he leant over and pulled the blanket over him. The lion giggled in his sleep, and muttered as he turned over, "I'll beat you again, Suppi . . . mah haha!"

Spinel was sleeping on his front, a book under his chin. Small snores issued from the panther, as he slumbered. Clow picked up his tail gently, and coiled it beside him. The panther frowned and pulled his tail out of Clow's grasp, "Leave my tail alone Ruby!" He muttered darkly, before turning his head away.

Ruby was curled up, sucking her thumb. She was very sweet, and Clow had pondered deeply about why he had created her like this. She was so cheerful all the time, and it was hard not to at least smile when she was around. Ruby Moon was a kind of a girl, she was actually an 'it', but Clow's Papa had explained this was probably because at the age of twelve Clow had probably not seen what a girl really looked like.  She had been created to make people smile, and she did just that. Ruby giggled quietly, and turned over as Clow tucked her up again. 

"Yue . . ." Clow felt his stomach roll slightly as he stepped in . . . the angel was on his front, his favourite deep blue pyjamas setting off his striking white hair. He sighed in his sleep, as Clow knelt beside his bed. Clow didn't know why Yue had been created like this. He lifted a hand, and stroked his angel's white hair. Just wondering . . . why should it matter . . . if his angel's attention wasn't centred on him anymore . . .

_Another birthday later . . ._

"Keep your head still please . . ."

The black strands moved easily through the fine comb, Clow smiled as his angel very helpfully brushed his hair for him as he tied his collar. "Yue, you really needn't do this for me . . ."

"But I want to . . ." Yue murmured back distractedly, his whole concentration centred on removing the tangles from Clow's hair. For what seemed like the first time in months, Yue seemed to be in a good mood. Clow sighed, he didn't understand it, and some of it . . . his Mamma had explained . . . might have had something to do with Ruby's creation, but Yue had just been getting . . . cranky. Mean. Even spiteful. He looked at the angel, a calm look on his face as he concentrated. Clow found himself breathing a little harder than normal as Yue sucked in his bottom lip, kittish white teeth biting into the pale lips, leaving pink marks. Clow blushed slightly, and dipped his head so Yue couldn't see the faint redding, the angel tutted quietly, "I said keep your head still . . ." The door creaked open, and the sound of hiccupping could be heard loudly. Yue sighed and closed his eyes, "Keroberos, if you have gotten Spinel Sun drunk again . . ."

"I didn't tell him to drink all of the lemonade!" Keroberos' defiant answer rose up instantly, "I only told him to sip it a little!!"

Clow chuckled quietly as he looked down to fiddle with his cuff, "Keroberos, you know full well that Spinel is allergic to even the smallest sip of sugar."

Spinel wobbled in uncertainly, "Kewobewos!!" He looked around drunkenly, as Keroberos sat in front of him, "Will you keep schtill pleasch. . .?"

Keroberos smiled and started to rock from side to side, "What's wrong Suppi . . . feeling a little ill?"

Suppi's cheeks puffed up once.

Yue growled, "Keroberos, if Spinel is sick you will clean it all up by yourself . . ."

Keroberos paused long enough in his rocking to look at Yue, "Why's that?" He snorted quickly, "Oh, I guess you don't want to take you hands off Clow then!"

Clow's eyes snapped open as Yue's hands instantly snapped off his long black hair. The angel paced over quickly and lifted Clow's favourite purple hair tie off the bed. He glared at Keroberos briefly before looping it tight around Clow's hair. Clow winced slightly as Yue's haste caught a few hairs in the wrong place. He chuckled as Yue stalked away, to sit in the windowsill.

Keroberos snorted, and nudged Spinel, "Come on Suppi, let's leave those two love birds alone!"

"My namsh't not Shuppi!" 

Clow shook his head as Keroberos pushed Spinel out of the room, and got up. He walked over to the windowsill and lent against the wall, "What did he mean?"

"Nothing." 

Clow blinked, the angel had been getting progressive more sullen over the last few years. "Yue?"

"I said it's nothing!" Yue snapped, and tipped out of the window, Clow watched him fly away, straight past Ruby, who shrugged middle flight and continued home. Her pink eyes lit up with delight as she spotted Clow, dashing straight through the window, and glomping him to an inch of his life. She squealed happily, "Good morning Clow!!"

"Good morning, Ruby!" Clow laughed, "Get off me!"

She grinned as she helped him up; she was much stronger than the average girl. He shook himself off, dusting off his cream sleeves, as he glanced at her. Ruby bounced around the room, and slid Keroberos' draw open, pulling out Keroberos' latest bag of jellybeans. She jumped onto the bed and preceded to empty the bag, Clow shook his head, Ruby, like Keroberos and himself, was completely addicted to jellybeans. 

"Whatsamatter with ol' grumpyfeatures?"

Clow raised his eyebrows, "What was that, Ruby?"

She swallowed heavily, gulping down a handful of sweets before asking again, "What's up with Yue?"

He sighed and climbed onto the bed, taking the bag out of her hands, and putting back into Keroberos' drawer, "I don't know. . ." he reached over and levitated another bag, his own bag of jellybeans, and pour half into her hands, "Do you?"

"Did you have an argument again?"

"No." Clow rolled his eyes; Yue's bad temper had been getting worse since Ruby had been created. He was becoming very quiet and very cold, the only person he ever seemed to smile for was either Mamma, or for Clow . . . but even those smiles were in rare occurrence. "What's wrong with him?"

"I dunno . . ." Ruby shrugged, and gulped another handful, "Maybe he's just broken."

"Broken?" Clow repeated thoughtfully, he sighed and got up. Staring out the window, Clow frowned, "How could Yue be broken?"

The wheat stalks bended gently and swayed side to side in the afternoon's breeze.

Ruby's shouts and Keroberos' roars were the only sign they were still in the meadow, the tall grass wheat hiding them from view, Papa laughed loudly, as he was suddenly ambushed somewhere in the golden stalks. Mamma shook her head, and turned her attention back to the angel in her lap, Yue looked now like a handsome eighteen year-old man. His unique eyes were closed against the bright sunlight, as he, Mamma and Spinel sat in the shadow afforded to them by a tree on the grassy knoll, a grassy island above the golden sea of wheat. 

Spinel rolled over, and snored quietly, purring as Mamma reached over and stroked his stomach, he was just recovering from another devilish plot hatched by her husband and his two favourites guardians. As she pulled back, she looked down to find Yue's eyes were opened. 

"Done thinking?" She asked quietly.

Yue's eyes soften, "How'd you know I was thinking?"

A smile quirked the corner of her lips, "I could just tell . . ." she sighed and looked out, "You're in love with Clow . . ."

Yue nodded, "But I . . ."

"He would return your feelings, I am sure of it." Mamma smiled, "He does adore you Yue . . ."

"He . . ." Yue turned his head slightly, not looking at her, "He wouldn't want me. . ."

"Why not?"

"I have observed his creations over the last few years, his tastes have changed since he created me. . ." he frowned slightly, "That and I am a mere creation. . . it would be improper."

A soft chuckle drew his attention back to her, she smiled at him. "You think that because Clow has not created four versions of you, that he could not love you?" She shook her head, "If I must agree with my husband on one thing . . . it is that I have trained you to be a little too proper . . ." 

Yue closed his eyes again, as she stroked his fringe back. 

". . . Clow loves each of you differently, and I can see how he loves you . . . trust him, Yue . . ." Yue paused, causing him to open his eyes. Mamma tilted her head back, to stare up into the branches of the tree, Yue followed her gaze, Clow's foot swung gently from the largest branch as the young magician dozed there.

Clow yawned and opened his eyes, he smiled as he looked around, the afternoon was slightly darker now, a beautiful gold filled the air, and the sky was slightly red. He looked down, instead of Mamma, Yue and Spinel; papa, Keroberos and Ruby slept in a big heap. He smiled and looked around. Floating just above the grasses, Mamma and Spinel ran around chasing butterflies, Clow smiled and turned on the branch, swinging both legs down.   

"So . . . you are awake."

Clow blinked at the soft voice, and looked up. Yue was sat on the branch above, hovering slightly because it was too weak to bare his full weight. Clow smiled, "are you still mad at me?"

"No. . ." Yue slipped off gently, and sat beside Clow, "I'm sorry, there was no call for me to yell at you like that." 

"You didn't yell . . ." Clow amended, brushing a lock of white hair over Yue's ear, "You snapped."

Yue smiled slightly, "Sorry."

"It's okay . . ." Clow leant closer, "Why don't you tell me what's wrong?"

Yue swallowed, "Your Mamma is very different from your father . . ." Clow nodded, and motioned Yue to continue, "What I mean is. . . they are such different people and yet—"

"They love each other?"

Yue nodded, then glanced at Clow sheepishly, "Am I being clichéd?"

"A bit . . ." Clow sighed, "But I still don't know what's wrong. . ." he shrugged, "Wanna give me a big hint?"

Yue drew a quiet breath, "I think. . . IthinkIloveyou."

Deep blue eyes widened, "You what?"

Yue frowned and pursed his lips together, "Never mind." 

"No, no. . . tell me!"

"I said never mind!"

Clow pulled his leg up and crossed it under him, "I want you to tell me. . ."

"I said never mind." Yue looked out, "I think I'll help Spinel catch that butterfly; I don't think he's having much luck."

And with that. . . Yue slipped off the branch, and flew away, leaving Clow Reed blinking after him in confusion.

_Later that night. . ._

Yue's eyes slid open as his bedroom door open and shut quietly. A dark shadow moved towards the bed, "Yue? You still awake?"

"Yes."

Clow climbed onto the end of the bed, and smiled in the darkness, "Can you put the candle on? I can't even see you. . ."

Yue sighed and rolled in bed, tapping his finger against the wick. The small flame burst into existence, first blue then smouldering into gold. "Yes, Clow?"

The dark haired eighteen year old shrugged. "I just wanted to see if you were awake."

"Why?"

"I . . ." Clow sighed, and looked away, "I had a nightmare . . ."

"What kind of nightmare?"

"The kind that wakes you up, and makes you want to check on your Moon angel."

Yue's eyes looked him up and down, before he sighed and flopped back into his bed, "Go back to sleep."

"I don't want to." 

Yue sighed and rolled on to his side, allowing Clow to lie beside him. "What do you want?"

Clow curled himself beside his angel, and wrapped his arms around Yue tightly as he used to when they were children. "I just want my Moon angel to keep me company . . ." he sniggered quietly, "I brought strawberry flavoured jellybeans . . ."

"Ah!" Yue feigned horror, "My secret weakness revealed!"

Clow chuckled, as he popped a jellybean into Yue's mouth. The angel closed his eyes and chewed slowly, unaware of his creator's keen gaze. Clow was having a very hard time of not staring at Yue's pale lips as he chewed. He blindly felt out another jellybean and nudged it against Yue's lips. He smiled distractedly, as Yue sucked in the sweet.

"You're . . ."

Yue's eyes slid open, his eyes glowing dimly.

Clow smiled as he propped himself up, "Yue . . ."

"Hmm?" Yue rolled on to his back, and felt out the bag of strawberry jellybeans. 

"Erm . . . I . . . want you to tell me what you said earlier . . ."

"Does it matter?" Yue said, his voice slightly muffled by the third jellybean.

"It could change everything . . . if it's what I think you said . . ."

"Then I didn't say anything . . ." Yue said quickly as small blush going unnoticed as he grabbed a handful of jellybeans and popped them into his mouth. Clow looked up, his own blush also going unnoticed in the dim light. He bit his tongue, then his bottom lip, before he swallowed his doubts and leant forward, his pale lips brushing Yue's.

Yue's eyes were wide as he tried to take in the fact he was kissing Clow . . . or rather that Clow was kissing him. His eyes crossed as Clow started to nibble deftly at his bottom lip, and the magician's tongue slipped over the bitten lips. Yue moaned as Clow shuffled closer and pushed him down on to the bed. 

Clow panted slightly as he lifted himself off his angel, the Moon being had his eyes closed blissfully, causing Clow to chuckle quietly, "That went further than I planned . . ."

Yue smiled and grumbled poutingly, "It didn't go far enough. . ." he paused as he felt around his mouth, "Hey! My jellybeans!"

Clow chewed loudly, "what about them?"

The angel growled, "You!" Clow yelped quietly as the angel flipped him over and straddled him. "Give them back!"

The dark haired boy grinned, "Or what?"

"Or . . ." Yue leant over him and whispered wickedly, "I'll be very naughty . . ." he snickered as Clow's face suddenly went very serious. The angel purred and mewled quietly as Clow laced his fingers in his long white hair, "Is that a promise?"

Yue's wings extended and flexed in the darkness, blowing out the candle, Clow the only one to speak as he cooed.

"Ohhh . . . my angel . . ."

"One more kiss!"

"Keep your voice down!" Yue hissed as Clow pushed him against the wall. He wrapped his arms around Clow's neck and giggled, "Or we'll get caught!"

Clow frowned, his eyes slightly unfocused as he panted slightly, "I don't care . . ." he pressed his lips hard against Yue's, and mumbled, "All I care about is having one more kiss . . ." 

"Breakfast!!" Ruby chirped as she hopped past Yue's bedroom, she banged the door hard, "And it's your turn Yue!!"

Clow sniggered quietly into Yue's chest as the angel threw his head back and yelled, "In a moment!!" He glared at Clow, "You have to let me go now . . . or we will get caught!!" He tried to shrug out of Clow's embrace, "Come on!!" Clow pressed his angel back, and kissed his throat. Yue whimpered as Clow kissed *that* special place . . . he didn't know why, he didn't care, but *that* special place just made him melt . . . this was the third day of their relationship, and every night Clow had come into his room, and they had just . . . 

"Yue . . ." Spinel called, "You're supposed to make breakfast today! "

"I . . ." Yue's voice stuck in his throat as Clow ran his hands under his nightshirt, he tried not to giggle as Clow touched him, he coughed loudly to cover the moan, "I'll just be a moment!!" The panther moved off again, and Yue moaned quietly as Clow sucked at his neck now, we are going to be discovered, "Clow . . . I have to go . . ." 

"No, you don't . . ." The young magician mumbled, visible flushed as he pushed a lock of black hair from his brow, he barely opened his eyes as he dived for another kiss, "Just say you forgot . . ." 

"I can't do that now!" Yue moaned again, Clow lifted his head and kissed *that* special place again, "Oh . . . please . . ." Clow opened his eyes, and pulled back, Yue was mewling, a small sly smile crossing his lips as he mouthed slowly, "Please . . ."

Clow felt a hot feeling roll from his neck, over his shoulders and ---

**BANG!!**

Yue's door snapped open, and lashed back at whoever treated it so roughly. As Keroberos swore darkly at the door, and nursed his nose, Clow and Yue jumped apart, quickly making themselves presentable. Keroberos stormed in and jumped on Yue's bed, yelling, "Get up and make my breakfast now!!"

"I will, I will!" Yue muttered as he stepped away from Clow, moving to the bed to distract Keroberos from the flustered state of their creator. Keroberos blinked, and looked up at him, squinting.

"Are you blushing?"

"Well," Yue snapped quietly, "wouldn't you . . . if your brother suddenly walked into the room and you were in a state of undress?!"

"I'm always in a state of undress . . ." Keroberos grinned, "'cause I never need to dress!" He chuckled as Yue rolled his eyes, "hey, Clow!" The eighteen year old magician turned, his cheeks just a little red, and smiled as Keroberos looked at him, "Whatcha doin' in Yue's room?"

"I was just—"

"Coming to force me out of bed." Yue muttered as he brushed his hair back over his ears, he tied it quickly, each of his long purple ribbons done with the minimal of fuss, "He came to drag me out *rudely* just like you, Keroberos!"

Really? Keroberos jumped off Yue's bed and winked at Clow as he sauntered out the room, "Nice one Clow!"

Clow smiled a little as the lion left, he glanced at Yue as the angel walked past him. "Nice one, Yue . . ." he muttered, he leant closer, "One more kiss?"

 ---------------------

And now it's time to LEAVE IT TO DOCTOR MEGALOMANIA!!  
DrM: Back again after much problems with ff/net, and I guess few if at all any are reading this!! Anyway, for those few who have stuck by ff.net, and found this little pebble of fluff. . . yay!! They grew up!!

Clow: [Points accusingly] HENTAI!!

Yue: [Points accusingly] BITCH!!

The Robed Guy From That Episode Of The Twilight Zone: [Points accusingly] SATAN!!

DrM: {raises eyebrow} sure, whatever, Dress-Dude.

T.R.G.F.T.E.O.T.T.Z: [threateningly] We've been through this. . . it's a ROBE!

Yue: [sighs] anyway, if there is anyone still out there. . . please R&R!!


	7. One Last Game ...

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

[Doctor Lousion is one of mine, he comes from Tainted Soul, I'm using him here because I have a really limited imagination, and because he didn't do very much in Tainted Soul . . . Ahhh . . . time to add a lil angst into the mix . . . ]

_One last game . . . _

"Yue . . . Be a dear and fetch my spectacles . . ." 

Keroberos frowned as he looked around, Yue was off with Ruby picking apples from the orchard. Clow was beaming at him, from under their favourite tree, his book open in his lap, "Uh . . . Clow?" Keroberos frowned deeper as Clow's smile widened, "I'm Keroberos . . . Yue's in the orchard . . ."

"All the more reason to fetch my glasses then, isn't it then?"

Keroberos grumbled darkly as he flew off. Clow sighed and sat back, he had only just started to wear glasses a few months ago and his eyesight wasn't really that bad. His father explaining happily, as he made up his favourite tea, that all Reed men needed glasses, his mother raised an eyebrow and asked if all Reed men needed to have so much sugar in their tea . . . his father's answer, as always as he tipped his fourth spoonful of sugar in, "Of course, my dear . . . of course . . ."

Spinel landed nearby, and looked around, "Where's Keroberos?" 

"Fetching my glasses . . ."

"Why aren't you getting them?" Spinel cocked his head quizzically.

"What was that, Ruby?" Clow sniggered as Spinel shook his head at the bad joke, he glanced towards the orchard, Yue was just stretching out of the tree to hand Ruby his armful of apples. Their relationship of precisely ten months, three weeks and four . . . or five days, depending on who was right about when Clow stepped into Yue's room . . . was still as passionate and loving as ever, getting more so every time Clow spent the night with the angel, amazingly they had been able to keep it a secret from Yue's brothers and sister, but Clow some how doubted his parents didn't sense anything even if they hadn't said anything. Now nineteen, Clow had started to think about how he could approach his angel about a certain subject . . . he sighed as Yue disappeared from view again; a rustle of green leaves once more. Keroberos landed, and spat Clow's glasses into the young mage's lap, "Happy now?"

//No . . . // Clow sighed in his mind, "Yes, thank you, Yue . . ." The lion growled as Clow balanced his spectacles on his nose, "Oh!" Clow feigned surprise, "You're not Yue!!"

Spinel pushed his head against Keroberos' side and forced the growling lion away, leaving Clow to gaze at the orchard again. Tonight . . . he decided, tonight he'd talk to Yue about it . . .

Clow smiled as he pushed open the door, "Yue?"

"Hmm?" The angel looked up from his book, he was lying on his front, legs swishing back and forth as he read, "Another nightmare, Clow?"

"But of course . . ." Clow murmured as he walked in, he ran a hand from the back of Yue's thigh to play along his neck, "And there might be monsters under my bed . . ." Yue rolled onto his front as Clow sank down, "Mind if I sleep with you . . .?"

Yue pouted sweetly, "Can't have that now, can we . . .?" He looked very sincere and innocent as he sighed, "And since I was created to be your guardian . . . I should really do all in my power to protect you . . ." 

"No . . . we can't . . ." Clow snickered quietly; he smiled as they moved into their favourite positions, "Yue?"

The angel had closed his eyes, "Hmm?"

The nineteen year old bit on his lip, "About our relationship . . ." Yue's eyes slid open and he propped himself up to lean over Clow, the blue eyed boy swallowed as Yue gazed at him worriedly, "I love you . . ." he quickly assured and the worry disappeared, "I . . ." he lifted his hand and brushed Yue's fringe back, "I want . . ."

He trailed off as Yue's hand slipped down.

"I want . . . want . . ." 

Yue suddenly didn't look as innocent as he usually did, a small sweet smile pulled at his pale lips.

"I . . ." 

The angel leant down and kissed him deeply, Clow felt his stomach tense quickly.

"My . . . angel . . . I want you . . ."

_Next morning. . ._

"Hey . . ." 

Keroberos looked up from his pudding/breakfast as Spinel stumbled in tiredly, "Do you know what that awful racket was last night?"

"Racket?" Ruby asked as she bounced in with her usual energy, she grinned, "You mean Clow's nightmare?"

"Clow had a nightmare?" Kero questioned perplexed, he'd slept fine . . .

"You wouldn't notice anything if it wasn't covered in pudding!" Spinel growled as he helped himself to some toast. He looked up as Papa and Mamma entered from their usual morning meditation, Papa smiled as Ruby got up instantly to fetch some breakfast for the two. He glanced at Spinel, "You look like you didn't sleep well . . ."

Spinel nodded as Mamma looked around, "Where is Clow? He missed this morning's mediation . . ."

"He had a nightmare last night . . ." Keroberos cheerfully enthused, "Or at least that's what Suppi says . . ."

"My name's not Suppi!" 

"Morning all . . ." Clow yawned as he rolled his neck, he leant over his mother, and kissed her gently on the cheek, "Good morning Mamma . . ." he bobbed a bow to his father, "Papa . . ." the dark haired magician drifted into the kitchen only to be set upon by Ruby moon. As she squealed her very enthusiastic good morning, Yue drifted into the breakfast room, a faint smile playing over his lips as he fiddled with his collar. He paused in the doorway, "Good morning Mamma, Papa . . ." he bowed to both of them. The two smiled back, Papa smiled broad and knowingly, Mamma smiled small and faintly amused. Both were getting older, streaks of white spilling in their hair. Mamma wore her white swirls with pride, while Papa complained none stop about them. Ruby bounced into the room again, just as Yue slid into his seat, "Hey Yue!"

Yue winced slightly, "Please don't wake the dead, Ruby . . ." 

"Huh?!" She frowned and shook her head, "Anyway, did *you* hear Clow's nightmare last night?" He glanced at the kitchen door, Clow's humming floating out, and shook his head, Ruby grinned, "Really? Because he was dreaming about you!" She wrinkled her nose, "'least . . . I think so . . ."

"Me?" Yue looked up, as he poured a cup of tea for himself, he spoke cautiously as he questioned, "What did you hear?"

Clow stepped in as Ruby began to giggle, "Clow must have been really scared because he yelled . . ." she closed her eyes and enthused, mimicking as best she could, "My angel! Oh, my angel!!"

Yue looked at her evenly, "I heard that . . ." he set the pot down easily, "In fact he was nightmareing in my bed . . ." 

"Really?" Ruby leant forward, as Clow climbed onto the bench to get past her, he sat between her and Keroberos and grabbed a few slices of toast. She turned to the young magician, "You're nineteen . . . and you still sleep in Yue's bed at night?"

"Yes . . ." Clow blushed slightly, but not for the reason Ruby thought he was, "But only when I have a nightmare. . ." he licked his dry lips, and motioned for Spinel to pass the butter, "Yue doesn't mind . . ." 

"Doesn't it wake you up?" Ruby looked at Yue quizzically, "It would wake me up if Clow started to shout out my name in my ear every night . . ." 

"Oh . . ." Yue's lilac eyes flicked up, an amused sparkle twinkled slyly, "I don't mind if Clow comes to me every night . . ."

Clow's blue eyes narrowed as he glared at his angel over his spectacles. Papa smiled broadly, and tapped his knife against his tea cup, "One, nil . . ." he muttered quietly.

Keroberos, Spinel and Ruby blinked as they looked at Mamma as she snapped quietly under her breathe, "Eriol!"

Papa shrugged and looked at Clow, "Son . . . are you going to take that lying down?"

"Don't worry . . ." Clow smiled slightly, he glanced from his father to Yue, "I could take Yue lying down anytime . . ." 

Another tap of Papa's knife on the teacup, a mutter of ". . . one all . . ." and Mamma shaking her head disapprovingly, "Eriol!"

"I'm not sure you could . . ." Yue got into the game too, his brothers and sister perplexed, "I'm not sure you could get me to go down on you . . ."

::Tink::

"Two one . . ."

"Eriol!"

Clow nodded, he leant forward and rested his chin on his knuckles, "But Yue . . . when there are monsters under my bed, you've got to get down on your hands and knees . . ." he nodded and sat back, "You're so good at it, I always have to come to you. . ." 

::Tink::

"Two all . . ."

"Eriol! Stop encouraging them!"

"You're right there . . ." Yue sighed, he leant back, "Maybe I should get some nightmares . . . and then I could come to you . . ."

::Tink::

"Three Two . . . time please gentlemen . . ." 

"Eh-ri-ol!" Mamma glared at him, "Stop it!"

"I am, my dear . . ." Papa chuckled quietly, "Last shots gentlemen . . . a battleship must be sunk . . ."

"Are we playing battleships?" Spinel looked between the four, "What game are you playing?"

Clow smiled smugly, "Just a simple game of control . . ." he shrugged and smiled at Yue as the angel sipped at his tea, timing his comment perfectly, "At which Yue sucks, and he's throwing off my concentration . . ."

The angel made a small choking noise, and his teacup joggled in his hands. Mamma glared her son, as his father chuckled, lifting his knife. Yue set down his teacup gently, and made a small motion with his hand, Papa nodded and waited for Yue's comment. The angel was utterly calm as he lifted the teapot, and stood. He smiled slightly as he felt all eyes turn on him, waiting for this last shot. He walked around the bench as if walking to the kitchen before he paused and leant between Clow and Ruby, murmuring into Clow's ear silkily, "Maybe I should do it harder . . . make you lose the game . . ." 

That did it.

Clow's mouth fell open, his blue eyes widen with surprise and the tip of his ears went a flaming beetroot red. 

::Tink::::Tink:: 

"Final call," Papa chuckled, "Yue four . . . Clow three . . ."

"Eriol!" Mamma slapped the back of his hand lightly, "To encourage such behaviour . . ." 

Yue straightened and swept out of the room gracefully. Clow sat there for a moment, his blush spreading to his cheeks as his three other creations turned their quizzically gaze on him. Keroberos was squinting, he didn't get it at all . . . Ruby was looking like she didn't know either but was determined to find out and Spinel . . . Clow winced, Spinel looked like he got it but didn't believe it . . . 

"I'm going to get more toast!" Clow jumped up, then muttered under his breathe, "And Yue . . ." 

Clow sighed, as he checked his robes again. "Are you sure it looks all right?"

"You look like you have no arms, but yes . . ." Yue demurred as he brushed Clow's hair, he leant over and peered into the magician's eyes through the mirror, "You look very handsome . . ." 

The magician chuckled, as Yue bent over and nibbled at his ear. Even after six years of this, their love and passion for each other had never died. Clow had grown in to a very handsome man, and towered over all his creations and his mother, he was only slightly shorter than his father, and had taken to wearing his reading spectacles all the time. Yue had only grown a little, retaining a very youthful appearance, and Clow loved him a lot. His brothers and sister had also grown a little, Keroberos had put on a bit of weight, Spinel had had a bit of a growth spurt, standing a little taller than the lion. Ruby had taken to caring a lot for her hair, grown long beautiful legs, and maintained herself very well. Clow swivelled in his seat, and smiled up, sharing a deep kiss, "I love you, my angel . . ." 

"I love you too . . . Klo!"

Clow growled playfully, "I'll get you for that later . . ." He stood, and grabbed his favourite tie and knotting it quickly around his long black hair. He leant over and checked it in the mirror, he chuckled as he caught Yue's expression, "What?"

"You always do that!" Yue put down the hairbrush and moved to the window to open it, "You always make it look like I don't even brush your hair for you . . ." 

The young magician chuckled slightly as Yue started to frown as he gazed out the window, Clow turned away and picked up his key of magic, slipping it into his pocket as he explained, "I like my hair like—"

"Clow!!" Keroberos burst into the room, the lion was panting, "Come quickly!! It's Papa!!"

Clow glanced at Yue, the angel was climbing out the window, Clow ran over as Yue leapt out and flew down quickly. His mother's voice was plain as she screamed, Clow looked down. His father was lying beside the coach, Clow's creations surrounding him. Clow's eyes widened with fear as he span and ran out the room.

"Papa!!"

"It's his heart . . ." 

Doctor Louison murmured as he stepped out the room, he closed the door, and glanced at Clow and his mother. "He . . ." Louison sighed, and tried to break it too them gently. Papa was dying, he said, his old heart had given out, and despite and medication, magical or Muggle, Papa wouldn't live for very long. Clow held his mother's shoulder as she swooned against him. She shook her head, turned away from the doctor and buried her face into Clow's new robes. She wept quietly as Clow asked how long.

Not long.

"Not long?" Keroberos asked as he sat in Yue's room, he looked at Spinel, "How long's that?"

The blue cat sighed, "I don't know . . . he's dying . . ." He shook his head, "I can't believe it . . ." He hopped on to Yue's bed where Ruby was sobbing her eyes out. She had buried her face into a pillow in Yue's lap and was crying hard, as the angel explained in quiet tones, that Papa was leaving them.

Clow sat beside his father.

He clasped his hands in his lap, and looked around his parents' room. It was filled with Papa's western ornaments and Mamma's eastern charms, and with the hundreds of books they had collected over their years together, his father confiding that that was how they met, in a bookshop searching for the same book. Their large four poster bed took precedence, and Clow could remember almost every time he had come screaming into this room after a nightmare . . . before his creations had come into his life, after that, he didn't seem to have any nightmares.

His Papa's breathing was loud and raspy, breaking him out of his inner musings.

"Papa . . .?" Clow murmured, he looked at his father, his deep blue eyes closed, his almost white hair making his skin look pallid. "I know you can hear me . . ." he sighed, "I'm going to miss you . . . and I know Mamma will too . . . we all will . . ." 

"Ashes to ashes . . ." 

Mamma closed her eyes, and dipped her head. The father's voice faded from her hearing. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, swaying slightly as the funeral continued. 

". . . dust to dust . . ."

Papa, Eriol Clow Reed, had died upon a fine winter morning, with all his family around and his loving wife holding his hand. His son was the one who arranged his funeral, and had taken his place in the household. His son had been the one who had comforted his wife, his son's creations the ones who comforted his son in the dark hours. Clow didn't want his Mamma to feel any more burdened, so tried to keep a strong disposition up for her. 

Lady Junnifer Marianna Reed, GrandMamma, who attended the funeral of her own son with the gentle care of her daughter, lived for another four years, before passing away in her sleep, a ripe old age of ninety-six. Auntie Antoinette, Lady Antoinette Marianna Reed came to live with Clow and his family, and died unmarried, without children, she played with Ruby moon everyday, always giving her fantastical hair arrangements. She would plait Ruby's hair, and did so the night she died, and the butterfly girl mourned her death deeply. She undid every plait, except one and never removed it. 

Mah-Sung-Lin Li-Reed, Mamma, died some ten years after her husband. She died, quite fittingly, sleeping under Clow's favourite cherry tree, her head resting on Yue's shoulder as he read aloud for her. The angel finished the book, closed it, and sat still with her. He gazed at the moon as he cried silently for an hour, then carried her back to the mansion. Clow and his four guardians buried her with her husband, then travelled to Japan. Clow used one of his last creations to shrink the cherry tree. It was the only thing he took with him, aside from his clothes, his mother and father's prized library and guardians from the mansion. He never returned to England, and only once travelled to China. He settled in Japan, in a small mansion away from the major towns. He planted the cherry tree, and returned it to it's proper sized, again using his one of his last creations. The Mage, his Angel, his two winged cats and his Butterfly Girl lived in the house, alone, rarely travelling to the towns, spending their days, weeks, months, years tending to mansions' vast gardens.

Clow Reed, like his Auntie Antoinette, died unmarried and without child. His guardians buried him alone, in a pretty place, with no gravestone. They couldn't bring themselves to accept their creator's death so, instead each cut a lock of hair, took their most favourite of his possessions . . . Yue's was Clow's Hairbrush, Keroberos chose the first book Clow ever read to him, Spinel's was Clow's favourite tea cup and saucer and Ruby chose a bag of each guardian's favourite flavoured jellybean, knowing Clow loved them all . . . and buried them with the old mage. The reed name died with him, and his last creation, a set of cards sealed in a book. A month after his death, Doctor Lousion received notice from Clow's creations, with a small sum of money as payment, stating that it was Clow's last wish that Lousion care for the Clow book, until death. It also stated that there would be another book and a board compass beside the Clow, and that Lousion was to deliver the book to one of Clow's father's old associates, a Mister Benthan Hiirawagizawa or his closest living relatives and send the Compass to the Li Family of China, but to give them nothing else. Finally it stated that the four Guardians would not be there to await his arrival, simply that they were ready to sleep without Clow. 

It was signed by Yue with his name as a single Chinese character, the letter had been written by the angel, his neat handwriting only slightly illegible on the final line. His brother, Keroberos signed with an inky 'Kerbers', Spinel managed an inky double 'S' and Ruby Moon was merely 'Ruby'.

Doctor Lousion set off the day after he received the letter. He arrived at the mansion, finding it as if the occupants had only just finished what they were doing. Dishes lay dried and stacked ready to be put away, there were footprints and paw prints in the flowerbeds, and all the bedrooms were locked. Clow's study's door was wide open, the two books and the strange looking compass lying on his desk as stated in the letter. 

One book, The Clow, held Keroberos on the front, and a simple winged crescent moon on the back. It was locked, and there was no key in sight. He placed this book in his bag carefully, as he picked up the other. This book was tied with Clow's deep purple hair tie, a letter addressed to Mister Benthan Hiirawagizawa carefully put on top. This book was also locked, the letter no doubt containing instructions how to open it.

The good doctor did as he was told, never once yielding the all powerful Li family as they demanded possession of Clow Reed's last creations. He kept the Clow locked in a drawer in his study and the book containing the two guardians, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun, was handed down the Hiirawagizawa family, with every child instructed to hold it, and ask for the guardians to wake up and help them. The book never opened, and it was handed to the next generation, after two centuries, the guardians became a good luck charm, and the questioning became a family tradition and never taken very seriously.

The Clow book was stolen three generations after the good doctor died, and was traced to the black market in Germany by the Li's, once there the Li's lost the book. It was never recovered, after it was discovered that it could not be open, and that the gold on it's cover couldn't be removed, the book was sold in France, then taken to Egypt, stolen again and found itself smuggled to Osaka, Japan for a few decades, it's very existence passing into folklore and myth.

  --------------------------

And Now It's Time To Leave It To Doctor Mega---

Clow: [strangling DrM homer-style] WHY YOU LITTLE--!!!!

DrM: [choking] GACK!!

Clow: [irate] WHY DO YOU HAVE THIS BLOODY FIXATION ON KILLING ME?! DAMN YOU!! DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL!!!

DrM: [going blue] ACK!! Please –GACK- Readers. . . must. . . –ACCK- . . . R&R. . . Two More chapters. . . left . . .

Clow: [crazy] I kill you, see how you like it!!


	8. Once Upon A Time

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

[end of the last chapter wasn't very fluffy or cute, was it? {grins} deep breathe everyone, let us un-angst once again okay? Brilliant!! Back to the Fluff!! {twenty minutes later} okay, I lied . . . some scary evil mean things go down, but it's only the aftermath. Should be noted that I dislike car crashes, car crashes are becoming mundane – so here's a new way of killing off ::coughPlotholescough::]

_Once Upon A Time . . ._

_Once . . ._

"Eriol . . . is Clow Reed-sama?"

"Yes . . ." 

"Are you sure?"

"Very . . ." 

"Reeeee—"

"Yes!" Eriol sniggered as he interrupted Keroberos, he smiled broadly as he looked from his guardians to Sakura. It was so nice to have the four all back in one place again. He could feel Clow's attention drift to Yue, and how close Sakura's overprotective brother had drifted closer to the angel. He sighed imperceptibly, and glanced at Keroberos. "You're like a sieve, you!"

Keroberos' eyes widened, and he glanced at Yue, who folded his arms and shook his head silently. Keroberos moved forward again, "Prove to us that you are Clow . . ." 

Eriol smiled, he'd expected this. He dug into his pockets, "For Keroberos . . ." He threw a small bag forward, "A bag of jellybeans . . . your favourite, extra large bag . . ." 

"You could have gotten this information from Ruby Moon . . ." Yue scowled at him, "None of this proves anything . . ." 

Eriol nodded, "Indeed . . ." he sighed, "I know you are deeply private, Yue but, since you insist on such detail . . ." He dug into his pockets again, and allowed Clow to cloud his voice, "Yue? You awake still?" Sakura blinked, and looked at Yue as a frown came over the angel. He turned away, as Eriol pulled something from his pockets, and continued, "Can you put the candle on? I can't even see you . . ." Touya frowned as Yue's eyes slid shut, and he mouthed a reply, Eriol smiled, "I just wanted to see if you were awake . . ." 

Yue mouthed another reply, a rare, rare tear sliding from his angel eye.

"I . . ." Eriol's expression became slightly distressed, a tender look, much older than his ten year old face, "I had a nightmare . . ." 

"What kind of nightmare?" Yue whispered, raising his hand and resting it on Touya's shoulder.

"The kind that makes you want to check on your moon angel."

Yue rested his head on his hand, leaning against Touya for support, "Go back to sleep . . ." 

". . . I don't want to . . ." Eriol murmured, as Yue turned to him and knelt, he smiled weakly as the angel looked at him.

"What do you want?"

Eriol knelt as well, and whispered, "I want . . ." Clow's vice filtered through, as Eriol lost his concentration, "My angel . . ." 

Yue blinked and whispered, "Clow . . . I . . ." he frowned and actually smiled slightly, ". . . want my jellybeans . . ." he held up his hand, and Eriol chuckled his voice slightly tearful, as he poured half a bag of strawberry jellybeans into the angel's hand. He looked up, and found Yue nodding slowly. "You are Clow reborn . . ." 

Syaoran growled, "But why---?!"

Eriol held up his hand, "Time enough for this later . . ." he looked at Keroberos, "Keroberos—"

The lion snorted, "I go by Kero-chan now, Clow!" He glanced at a rather shell-shocked Sakura, "That's what she calls me!"

"Kero-chan . . . ?" Eriol looked at Sakura, "But you called him Keroberos in the first place . . ."

"Hoe?"

Eriol chuckled, "Sorry, in a moment, it shall all be clear . . ." he crouched by Keroberos, "Kero-chan . . . do you remember how I told you how you came to be created?"

He shrugged, "A waved hand and a bit of magic?"

Eriol's face blanked, "You don't remember?"

"We hardly remember anything Clow, or at least I don't but that's because---"

"He's like a sieve!" Chimed the three other guardians, they laughed quietly as Sakura and her friends looked on quizzically. Kero shook his head and mumbled darkly into his bag of jellybeans. Ruby grinned, she knelt by Sakura, as she explained. "Clow created us because he had special dreams, a girl would appear every night that one of us was created . . . she would tell Clow how to make one of us, and then he would do it in his sleep. She would always play it as if it was a game . . ." She grinned broadly, "He always said the girl was very pretty and had beautiful costumes!" She pulled at Sakura's uniform and winked, "Just like you!"

"Me?" She glanced at Eriol, "What is happening?"

Keroberos sat beside her, "You're got to use the Dream and the . . . the . . ." his eyes crossed slightly, "I forget, but you've got to use two cards, and go back and tell Clow that he's got to make Yue . . ." 

"Iie." Yue murmured, he shook his head, "I . . ." he shook his head more, "I don't want to be first . . ." 

"Nani? But that would change everything wouldn't it?"

Eriol smiled knowingly, "It doesn't matter what sequence you do it in . . ." he looked at Sakura, his eyes more knowing than ought to be in a ten year old. He nodded once, "All I ask is that four times in your life, the day the guardians ask, you use the Dream and the Return card, and tell my past life to create the guard . . ."

Keroberos grinned, "Me first then!!" He jumped up on to Sakura's shoulders, easily transforming into his false form. "Please?"

Sakura glanced at her friends, Eriol and Keroberos, "Now?" She murmured and pulled out the cards, "What if I--?"

"You won't." Eriol smiled and stepped forward, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to the swings, "You were always swinging . . . please treat it like a game . . ." he turned and walked off, "Chotto matte!" He chuckled, and spun back to her, "I forgot . . ." he pulled up her hand, "Tell him to hold out his hand like this . . . then to repeat after you and say, Keroberos, guardian of the sun . . . come forth . . . thy master calls thee . . . Release . . ." he smiled, "Got it?"

Sakura looked a little nervous, but nodded slowly as Kero flew away from her, "Will he look like he normally does?"

"Iie!" Keroberos sang back as he transformed into his large form, "Clow was eight when he made me!!"

_Twice . . ._

"Sakura?"

She looked up as she pulled off her hat, Yukito smiled sweetly as he knelt down. "Yue wishes to ask you something . . ." 

As soon as they were away from the rest of the group, Yukito frowned slightly, "He says that he is a little nervous about asking you so quickly after such a battle but . . ." A funny look came over his face. The boy was conversing with the angel. Sakura sighed and sat on the ground. This happened once or twice every three months, Yue wanted to ask her something, but would change his mind, Yukito would try to convince the angel to ask but he would shake his head and refuse to come out.

"It was a good fight . . ." she looked behind herself, and found Eriol standing behind her. He inclined his head slightly, "I'm sorry I missed it . . ." he blinked and looked at her costume, "Where's the hat?"

Sakura held it up, the pink uniform had been perfect against the Void card. Sakura pulled out her latest card, The Hope, "Look . . ." she handed the card to Eriol, "What do you think?"

He smiled as he took the card, "It's very like you Sakura . . ." he fell silent, and stared at her, "The costume . . . suits you," he murmured, he glanced at Yue, "He's ready to ask you now . . ." 

Sakura blinked, "What do you mean?" But she didn't get much further, because Yue transformed in suddenly. He glanced at Eriol, nodding once in greeting before turning his gaze upon her. 

"I wish you to visit Clow Reed . . ." he blushed slightly, and lowered his head, "And tell him to create me . . ." the angel swallowed, "if I remember correctly, Clow was five years old when he created me . . . he told me once that the girl in his dreams asked him if he liked angels, and that she would tell him how to make one . . ."

"Sakura!" Syaoran called ask he walked around the corner, "Eriol?" He blinked, "What's going on?" Sakura ran forward and wrapped her arms around Syaoran's neck, telling him quickly about Yue's request. As the sweet little girl continued to babble, Eriol smiled at the attentive look on both his angel's and his cute little descendant's faces . . . and inwardly frowned as he felt a tiny pang of something as Syaoran shyly kissed Sakura on the cheek.

_Three times . . ._

"You look beautiful . . ." Eriol leant on the door, and stared in. The two women looked up, Sakura blushed as she stood on the stool, Tomoyo waved him off as she bent again to tend to Sakura's wedding dressed. Eriol swung himself off the frame and walked in, he was in half of his full robes, the rest he'd put on for the ceremony. "What? It's not bad luck if I see her dress . . . only if Syaoran sees it . . ." 

Sakura giggled, but Tomoyo caught the darker tone. She looked up and frowned reproachfully at him, Eriol shrugged and smiled apologetically. He and Tomoyo had entered into a form of courtship, one where they wouldn't be alone in the middle of the night, and could both feel things for different people. He chuckled slightly as he corrected that, both feel things for the same person. Kinomoto Sakura was loved by three people, Tomoyo had loved her for the longest in this life, Syaoran the shortest, and Eriol . . . Eriol smiled as Sakura put her gloved hands in his . . . Eriol had come to adore Sakura, but accepted as long as Syaoran lived--- he closed his eyes and shut out the thought, telling himself once again.

He only knew that Sakura would get married, and then she would loose two of her dearest friends . . . for all he knew, Keroberos and Yue could be the dearest friends, Syaoran mightn't be either . . . 

Spinel looked down from the rafters as Sakura and Syaoran kissed, "They look so happy . . ." 

"Hmmmm . . ." Keroberos hummed, he blew his nose, "She's so pretty!!"

Spinel glanced at the older lion, he was getting a little grey around the mane. The panther chuckled, he could hardly talk, he had taken to wearing his reading spectacles all the time now. He smiled and made up his mind, he would ask her today . . . 

". . . if you don't mind . . ." Spinel glanced at Syaoran, "But it just seems to be a good time to ask . . ." 

Sakura grinned as she knelt down, careful of her huge white dress, "Of course not!!"

Kero grinned, "Excellent timing, Suppi . . ." he closed one eye, and tilted his head, "What time will he be created?"

Yue touched his head unconsciously as Eriol chuckled slightly, "Grand . . ." he sighed deeply, as Keroberos grinned and chimed with him, "Mamma . . ." the blue haired reincarnation glanced at Sakura, "I would like to accompany you please . . . I just want to see myself . . ." 

Sakura beamed, "You go first . . ." she grasped Syaoran's hand, "I'll be along soon . . ."

Eriol smiled and nodded, he glanced at Tomoyo. The purple haired girl smiled at him, as he leant forward and kissed her cheek, "Happily ever after . . ." he murmured, a little joke between them.

_. . . four._

She was only forty. He was only forty-one. 

And the baby had never even had a chance. Sakura put her hands over her eyes and sank into open arms, she began to sob as her brother tried to comfort his baby sister as the doctor sighed and looked down at the report again. "If it's any comfort . . ." he sighed again, "Your friend died almost instantly, she didn't feel anything . . ." 

Seventeen hundred yen . . . 

". . . She probably never even heard the shot."

It was all Tomoyo had had in her purse. It was all she got killed for. The doctor shuffled his feet, and looked at the next chart, he looked at the brother once again. The tall man looked tired, and about sixty even though he was probably not even past fifty yet. "And as for your husband . . ." 

He never carried proper money, didn't like to, just in case . . . 

"I'm afraid it wasn't so easy . . ." 

. . . something like this happened.

"His physical condition, as brilliant and strong as it was –" The wife sobbed again, the doctor waited, "Let him down just before we could get to him . . ." 

Sakura motioned her bruised stomach, unable to comprehend that after so long of trying . . . 

"I'm so sorry . . ." 

. . . a mere child, desperate, killed her best friend, her husband, and such a tiny life . . . 

"We'll seek him out then!"

Sakura looked at her old sun guardian, as he growled darkly. Keroberos was an old, old man now. Eriol said it might have something to do with the fact Clow Reed's soul was slipping away after so long . . . their life span wasn't as immortal as they thought . . . Yue sighed as he peered at Keroberos over his handsome silver rimmed spectacles, "Certainly Keroberos. . . four aging guardians . . . a fearsome sight indeed . . ."

"We've got magic in us yet!" The lion growled at him, "Besides, this would be revenge . . . he took Sakura's child!"

A sad look passed over Yue's face, "I know . . ." 

"Then, then." The lion nodded, he lowered his head to the floor again, "Then."

Sakura smiled half-heartedly, she touched her stomach again absently. She had been so close . . . she closed her eyes, "Ruby . . ." 

The butterfly girl got to her feet, her Rose coloured hair, with her proud grey swirls fell over her shoulder, "Some more tea?"

"Iie . . ." Sakura chuckled gently, since the murders, Eriol had invited Sakura, Touya and her guardians to live with him. They had accepted gratefully. "I was wondering, would you mind if I went to Clow and told him to create you now?" 

Ruby blinked, "I'd forgotten . . ." she shook her head, "I couldn't ask you to, not now . . ."

"You're not asking," Sakura got to her feet and walked to the door, "I'm asking . . ." 

Ruby sighed, "Only if you are sure . . ."

She nodded, I'm sure . . .

"Good bye Clow . . ." 

The small boy, twelve at the most, looked at her, and touched her hand. "I want to make it alright for you . . ." 

Eriol sighed, "You will one day . . ." he smiled slightly, "Remind Yue there will always be other pancakes . . ." Sakura swung on her swing and shrugged as Clow turned his questioning gaze on her. 

"I don't understand either . . ." she smiled slightly, "Good bye Clow . . ."

"Bye . . ." the boy faded with a whisper. Sakura looked at Eriol as he continued to push her on the swing. They were silent, just letting the nightfall. 

"I'm sorry Sakura . . ." Eriol murmured, "about Syaoran . . ." 

"Iie . . ." she said back, her voice as quite as it had been with Clow, "Like I told him, there was nothing to be done . . ." 

"I wish there was something I could do." 

Sakura stood, and looked at him, "Me too . . . I've lost my husband. . ." she trailed off and put her hand over her mouth, looking shocked. "I'm sorry . . ."

Eriol looked at her, "What do you mean?"

"Tomoyo-chan. She wasn't just my best friend . . ." Sakura reached out, touching his shoulder, "She was your wife . . ."

He chuckled slightly, "I did adore her, but I can accept her death . . ."

"How?"

"We were dear friends Sakura, we weren't in as much love as you and Syaoran were . . ." he smiled, "We married because neither of us were prepared to be alone . . ." Sakura sank back into the seat, as he started to push her again, "Besides, it just meant we could both be in love with who we loved, and still be with each other . . ." he patted her shoulders, "We were dear, dear friends . . . and I'll miss her terribly for that . . ."

Sakura turned her head, "Who was it? This person you both loved?"

"I'll tell you . . ." Eriol smiled quietly and pushed her more, "Another day . . ."

A century past as Sakura and Eriol combined their magic to create a large mansion in the old town of Tomoeda, out of time with the rest of Japan. They lived there with the guardians, and Sakura's brother. Touya died peacefully in his sleep, causing much heartache to the angel. The tall brother and the angel had always been very close, and had fallen in love over the years. 

The angel never recovered from his heartache and died, quite fittingly, reading a book under the cherry tree despite the cold of winter. Sakura found him, snow covering his book, burst into tears and didn't stop crying until Eriol pulled her back to the house, leaving the angel's family to tend to him.

Keroberos died, some two years after Yue. He died of a heart attack one summer, and died instantly. He didn't live to see Sakura marry a second time. Eriol and Sakura married themselves, with Ruby as the bride maid, and Spinel as the best man. It was a quiet ceremony. 

Ruby Moon grew very confused, and unable to care for herself anymore. Sakura played with her every day until she died. Having her hair plaited, her head resting on Sakura's knee, she was singing about the autumn and it's beautiful gold leaves and just fell asleep.

Spinel Sun buried two brothers, and a sister. He lived long enough to see Sakura have a child, and to see the day when Eriol completely lost Clow Reed's soul within him. That was the day Spinel Sun died. The little girl was named after Clow's favourite aunt. Antoinette Tomoyo was an adorable little girl, with long purple hair, and sparkling emerald green eyes. When it came to life, she took after her mother, to magic, she took after her father, maybe even more powerful than Eriol and her mother combined. She adored Spinel Sun, and always helped him even as he got older and frailer. The two-year-old loved him even when she could no longer do anything more with him, than watch him sleep on a rug by the fire. She was heartbroken when the old panther left them and, as her mother gently explained, went to a place even the Fly card couldn't take her and where his favourite time, spring, was always, always there. 

-------------

And Now It's Time To Leave It To Doctor Megalomania!!!

DrM: [grins] you'll be happy to know that's the last of the angst, and because this is a fluffy fic, it will end on a happy note!! It will!! I promise. . .  [glances over shoulder] uh, Clow. . . put the axe down . . . you are not an axe murder . . .

Clow: [blinks and drop axe] how right you are . . . [picks up staff] I KILL YOU!!! I KILL YOU NOW!!!

DrM: [runs away screaming]

Yue: [chuckling] serves her right!! Please R&R, and see you next week for the final chapter!! [sighs with relief] finally!!


	9. And They All Lived Happily Ever After

Well, Hello and welcome to my little world of Weirdness . . . and in this fic, indescribable cute, fluffy-ness!!

Who Loves Short-Shorts? We Love Short Sort! Who Owns CCS? CLAMP owns CCS!!

Ahem. . . I also have to admit, I'm drawing from some of my own life experiences . . . and yes, I really did step on a rose thorn one time and scream at my mother, "Mummy! If you loved me you wouldn't do this to me!! Leave the thorn in!!" [Folds arms] Hey, gimme credit, my mother pulled 'em out with needles. . . and I was only five!! 

And amazingly, this is semi-ExS. . . that's as in Sakura there. . . yup, this is my first tentative steps into the great unknown. . .

_~TimeShift~_

_Dream_

//thinking//

"speaking"

*stress/emphasis*

The Something Under The Bed.

By Dr Megalomania . . . You can't prove anything by that!!

. . . They Lived Happily Ever After.__

_Once upon a winter . . . _

"Mamma!!" 

Antoinette squealed loudly as her mother ducked her snow ball, the little girl growled and rolled up another, and ran over to her mother determined to splat it in her hair as soon as she got to her. Mamma, a beautiful Japanese woman with the same bright green eyes giggled happily, "Eriol! Save me!!"

Antoinette yelped with surprise as Papa's strong arms suddenly scooped her up, Antoinette sighed and glared at Papa, a handsome English man, with dark blue hair. "Papa, no fair!"

He chuckled, his laugh just as warm as Mamma's, "But you've got to go to bed!"

Antoinette panicked, and pointed at the Snow card as it dusted their huge garden, "But she's going to sleep for the rest of winter!!" She struggled to get loose, "Just let me make one more angel!!"

Papa looked at Mamma as she got up and dusted herself down. Snow stuck to Mamma's hair as she smiled warmly, Papa reached over and stroked Mamma's hair. Antoinette sighed, as she looked at Papa, he loved Mamma a lot, maybe as much as Antoinette did. She blinked, and started to struggle again. "I want to make a snow angel!"

Mamma pulled her little girl out of Papa's arms, and set her down. "All right. . . but then . . ." Mamma crouched down, and wagged a knowing finger at her, "Then Antoinette Tomoyo Li-Reed . . . bed." 

_~Later that night . . . ~_

_Antoinette giggled slightly as the tall man pushed her. He chuckled slightly, his huge robes shuffling as he moved to sit in the swing beside him. "So . . ." He chuckled gently, "Do you like angels, Antoinette?"_

_She nodded enthusiastically; "I wanna make one, just like Yue!" She beamed, "Because Spinel told me all about him!"_

_The blue-eyed man smiled, making Antoinette think of the smile that her Papa always had. He was very tall, and had black hair, and had glasses just like Papa's. He chuckled quietly, "Shall I tell you how to make one?"_

_"Please?" Antoinette jumped off her swing and ran over to his, "Can you? Can you?!" _

_"I can tell you how to make lots of things . . ." He winked, "Do you want to?"_

_Hai! _

_"It's actually really easy, Antoinette . . . just say what I do . . ." He winked at her again, "Like a game, okay?"_

_Antoinette smiled and nodded, aware on some level that this was all a dream . . ._

_~Really Early In The Morning . . .~_

//I am *not* scared . . .// 

Antoinette Tomoyo Li-Reed closed her eyes shut tight; she clenched her hands into tiny, tight balls and bit his lip. //I am not scared at all, I am a big girl and I am not scared of anything . . .// Taking a deep breath, Antoinette hung on tightly to the edge of her bed and swung herself upside down to see what ever it was under her bed.

Her emerald green eyes widen as they met with glowing purple eyes.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Antoinette screamed as loud as she could, and that was really loud because Papa always said she had a pretty impressive set of lungs. The glowing purple eyes widened and the what-ever-it-was-under-her-bed scrambled back in fear. The door opened as Antoinette's mother and father ran in. "Antoine?!" Papa said worriedly, "What's wrong, my little girl?"

Mamma picked up her little five-year-old girl as she wailed, "There'ssomethingundermybedandIsawitandit'sundermybeeeeeeeedd!!!"

Mamma and Papa looked at each other, as Papa lifted his key from his necklace. His magic staff quickly appeared, and he crouched down on the floor. Papa moved the large golden staff under her bed, touching nothing. "Antoine . . . there's nothing there . . ." Papa sighed and sat beside Mamma. "It was a nightmare, sweetie . . ."

Mamma smiled, "Tomoyo-chan . . . Don't scare us like that . . . now . . . It's late . . ." She lay her baby girl in her bed gently, "Try to sleep a little . . ."

As Mamma and Papa wished her good night and stepped out, Antoinette stared at her ceiling, dotted with pretty moons and suns that were so special they glowed. "Whatever you are . . ." She said with determination, "I must warn you, I'm a very powerful magician . . . and I . . . I can . . ." Antoinette closed her eyes as she heard a scuffle and a quiet mewl under her bed, "I can make you disappear!"

There was a quiet whimper from her side. Antoinette opened her eyes to see a small pale face stare back at her. The what-ever-it-was-under-her-bed wasn't under her bed any more. Antoinette chewed the inside of her cheek, and got up. The thingy tilted it's head and looked at her. Antoinette reached out with her finger and touched the being in the nose. The creature's catlike eyes crossed as it tried to look at Antoinette's finger. 

"You're real!" she observed quietly as she pressed against the pale nose. The thingy squeaked and fell back. Making her giggle slightly, the thingy stared at her glowing ceiling. Antoinette smiled and slid down from her bed, sitting by him crossed leg, "Mamma and Papa made the sky for me . . . it's only painted, but I like it . . ." She pointed up, at two moons, one blue and the other a deep rich pink, "That's for Mamma's favourite angel . . . and for Papa's favourite butterly . . ." The thingy sat up as well and tilted it's head, she continued quietly, "Before I was borned, Mamma had an angel . . . He was very, very handsome, and my uncle loved him a lot . . ." She pointed at the blue moon, "His name was Yue . . ." 

"Yue . . ." The angel thingy repeated, he pulled at her hand, and tapped his chest with it, "Yue . . ."

She blinked, and smiled, "'kay . . . we'll call you Yue too!"

A quiet meow drew her attention to her bed, two cats crawled out from under it, and a little pink haired girl followed them. She giggled and crawled over excitedly, throwing her arms around Antoinette's neck. Antoinette blinked, "And we can call you Ruby . . ."

The two cats stumbled over, and the golden kitten mewled loudly, making the white haired angel clamp his hands over it's mouth. "Ssshhhh!" The angel lisped quietly, as the kitten started to paw at his hand, it's gold eyes widening. Antoinette cried out with surprise as she recognised the golden kitten, "You must be Keroberos!" The kitten bit Yue, and glared at him, before puffing out his chest proudly. Antoinette clapped as she picked up the last kitten, a dark blue cat with long ears, "And you're Spinel!"

"Spidel?"

Antoinette blinked and looked at Ruby as she raised her hand and petted Spinel's little head, the butterfly girl giggled again, "Not Spidel. Suppi!"

"That's a point!" Antoinette jumped to her feet and hugged Spinel tightly, "I forgot to tell you my name!" She giggled sweetly and put Spinel down, so he and his little brothers and sister could hear, "My name's Antoinette Tomoyo Li-Reed . . . but that's far too long so—"

"Antoine?" Yue murmured, "Antoin . . . nette?"

"Un!" She grinned, "You may call me that!" Antoinette sank to the ground, and stayed up all night with the four new guardians. 

_~The next morning . . .~_

"Antoine?" 

Papa called as he knocked lightly on his daughter's door, he leant in as his wife came up behind him. "Is she awake?" She blinked at his stunned expression, "Eriol? What is it?"

He stepped back, and motioned the room, Mamma stepped forward, and saw her daughter curled up on top of the covers of her bed, with a small gold lion with fluffy white wings lying by her head, a deep midnight blue panther curled at her feet, behind her a little girl, shorter than their daughter, lay on her front, sucking her thumb, her big black butterfly wings fluttering gently. Their daughter was lying in the middle of all of this, and was facing the last person. The small white haired angel lay on the bed, his arms wrapped around their little girl's waist protectively, his huge fluffy white wings and long hair draping off the bed.

"Like a fairytale . . ."

Mamma smiled as Papa wrapped his arms around her, "Eriol . . ." She murmured, patting her husband's hand. He chuckled in her ear, kissed her neck and let her go. He leant into his daughter's bedroom, and grasped the door handle, he smiled gently as his daughter yawned loudly, and snuggled closer to her new guardian angel. A smile graced his pale lips, as he shuffled closer to her as well. The butterfly girl giggled deep within her sleep, the little lion curled himself around Antoinette's head, making her giggle too, and the small blue cat got up sleepily, and walked onto his daughter's leg, settling himself there. 

He smiled as he watched his young daughter smile happily in her sleep. He closed the door shut on them slowly, closing it quietly. His lavender grey eyes twinkled happily, and he shook his head, making the sleek almost black blue locks fall into his eyes as he murmured quietly.

". . . And they all lived . . . happily ever after . . ." 

_Thus cute and fluffy, ends the fanfic._

_~ Doctor Megalomania . . . and you still can't prove anything by that!!_


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